Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Science

Queen bee pheromones help daughters decide whether to stay or leave the nest

Female sweat bees need to make a pivotal life decision: remain in the nest to help their mother raise more offspring or leave to establish nests of their own. New research from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) found that queen pheromones help influence that choice, offering new ins...

Queen bee pheromones help daughters decide whether to stay or leave the nest
Image: Phys.org
Female sweat bees need to make a pivotal life decision: remain in the nest to help their mother raise more offspring or leave to establish nests of their own. New research from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) found that queen pheromones help influence that choice, offering new insight into how cooperation evolved in insect societies.

Originally published at Phys.org

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