"You are where you live, too."
The Discovery of "Royal Engineers"
A study published in Nature has identified a distinct group of worker honeybees that specialize in constructing wax cells for the queen. The research indicates that the physical properties of these queen cells influence the development of queen larvae, challenging the long-held assumption that diet alone determines queen status.
Key Findings
Scientists observed that a specific subset of younger worker bees, referred to in the report as "royal engineers," are responsible for building the wax cells in which queens are raised. These workers exhibit unique gene expression patterns that allow them to produce wax with distinct properties.
The wax used for queen cells has a lower density, greater pliability, and a higher melting point compared to the wax used for standard worker cells.
Thermal imaging studies revealed that these worker bees heat their thoraxes during the construction process to manipulate the wax. The discovery originated when the son of bee expert Kai Wang asked why queen cells are not hexagonal, prompting further investigation.
Impact on Queen Development
Controlled experiments demonstrated a significant effect of the cell environment on larval development. Queen larvae raised in cells constructed from standard worker wax—rather than the specialized queen cell wax—were found to be smaller and exhibited lower survival rates, even when fed royal jelly.
These results suggest that the wax cell itself functions as an engineered microenvironment critical for the development of a healthy queen.
Challenging Previous Assumptions
The findings challenge the traditional scientific view that a queen bee’s development is determined solely by her diet of royal jelly. Previous research had not identified the existence of a specialized group of workers dedicated to constructing queen cells.
"This rewrites that rule to say 'you are where you live, too,'" stated Kai Wang of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Julia Bowsher of North Dakota State University commented that no one had previously considered that a specialized group of workers might be responsible for building these queen cells.