ABSTRACT
This chapter presents data that elucidate the hormonal basis for the aggressive behavior in honey bee workers that is related to reproductive status. Juvenile hormone treatments were administered to the workers on the day of their emergence as adults. Treatment of workers on the day of their emergence with juvenile hormone resulted in an inhibition of corpora allata development. Juvenile hormone has a significant effect in inhibiting aggressive behavior towards queen honeybees expressed by five day old workers when administered to the worker on the day of emergence. Statistically significant differences in frequencies of attacks on queens were observed with doses of 15 and 50 ug juvenile hormone. To test for the effects of social context on the endocrine system of worker honeybees workers were maintained in complete social isolation.
