Not spiders, but bees. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have identified an odorant receptor that allows male bee drones to find a queen in flight. The receptor is present on the male antennae and can detect an available queen up to 60 metres away, which is quite a feat in chemical detection. This is the first time an odorant receptor has been linked to a specific pheromone in honey bees.
Droning on about bee chemistry.
Posted by David Bradley on Thursday, September 6th, 2007 at 4:10 pm.
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When I was doing my Chemistry degree in Liverpool I will admit to finding time to engage in “fun times”. I think it’s time to do the research on “club-scent”. For sure I have witnessed similar behaviors:
1)The receptor is present on the male antennae and can detect an available queen up to 60 metres away
2) Something “special” is a primary source of the queen’s authority in a club…there’s always “one”.
3) Whatever it is …It also draws workers to the queen and retards their reproductive growth. Well, for most of them anyways…
Left by ChemSpiderMan on October 8th, 2007