中华蜜蜂自然分蜂中的亲属优惠行为

以3群中华蜜蜂Apiscerana cerana Fabricius为材料,研究自然分蜂中的亲属优惠行为。分蜂开始后,分别对参与分蜂的工蜂和留在原巢内的工蜂随机取样,用95%酒精保存待用。取下所有王台,放入培养箱中培养出房,每30min观察1次,记录处女王的出房顺序。运用3个MRJP(major royal jelly protein)标记分析蜂群的亲缘关系和亚家系组成。3群实验蜂群分别由13,12和9个亚家系组成。分蜂过程中,王台的全同胞姐妹工蜂绝大多数都选择留在原巢内,说明工蜂能够辨认出全同胞姐妹王台,并且给予优惠。参与分蜂的工蜂和留在原巢内的工蜂间亚家系分布差异极显著,说明一些亚家系分蜂性更强,而另一些亚家系分蜂性较弱。实验首次运用MRJP分子标记技术证明:在自然分蜂过程中,工蜂和王台之间存在亲属优惠行为,并且这种优惠行为可能会刺激其它工蜂产生分蜂趋向性。

Nepotism in swarminh honeybees(Apis cerana cerana)

The experiments were conducted with Apis cerana cerana Fabricius under natural conditions. After the start of swarming, workers were sampled randomly both from the mother colony and the swarms, and preserved in 95 % alcohol for further DNA analysis. All of the sealed queen cells were transferred into the incubator for emergence and observed every 30 minutes to record the emerging order of virgin queens. Subfamily compositions were subsequently analyzed using three MRJPs. The colonies were composed of 13, 12 and 9 subfamilies, respectively. Most of the super-sister workers of immature queens were selectively chosen to stay in the colony. Subfamily distribution in both the swarms and the workers staying in the colony were significantly different from the control, which indicated that some subfamilies were active in swarming, while the others were less active. Our data from the three MRJPs firstly indicated the presence of nepotism between the workers staying in the colony and the immature queens during the swarming, and the nepotism may stimulate the swarming tendency of other workers.