Using errors by guard honeybees (Apis mellifera) togain new insights into nestmate recognition signals

Although the honeybee (Apis mellifera) is one of the world most studied insects, the chemicalcompounds used in nestmate recognition, remains an open question. By exploiting the error pronerecognition system of the honeybee, coupled with genotyping, we studied the correlation betweencuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile of returning foragers and acceptance or rejection behaviorby guards. We revealed an average recognition error rate of 14% across 3 study colonies, that is,allowing a non-nestmate colony entry, or preventing a nestmate from entry, which is lower thanreported in previous studies. By analyzing CHCs, we found that CHC profile of returning foragerscorrelates with acceptance or rejection by guarding bees. Although several CHC were identifiedas potential recognition cues, only a subset of 4 differed consistently for their relative amountbetween accepted and rejected individuals in the 3 studied colonies. These include a unique groupof 2 positional alkene isomers (Z-8 and Z-10), which are almost exclusively produced by the beesBombus and Apis spp, and may be candidate compounds for further study