UGC Academic Staff College, Bangalore University, Jnana Bharathi Campus, Bangalore - 560 056, Karnataka, India
*Corresponding author's E-mail: nagaraja@bub.ernet.in
Online published on 20 November, 2014.
Studies were conducted on olfactory learning and memory recall in the drones of Apis cerana and Apis florea through olfactory conditioning. The results showed that, the drones of A. cerana and A. florea learn and recall olfactory memory of queen mandibular odorants, the (2E)-9-oxodecenoic acid, (9-ODA), (2E)-10-hydroxydecenoic acid (10-HDA) and (2E)-9-hydroxydecenoic acid (9-HDA). Drones of A. cerana showed greater response towards 9-ODA in contrast to A. florea drones, towards 10-HDA. However, the drones of both species responded to 9-HDA but, A. florea drones in greater numbers. Results of the study conclude that, 9-ODA is a major sex pheromone component in A. cerana in contrast to 10-HDA in A. florea queens.
Apis cerana, Apis florea, drones, learning and memory
