Nasanov and stinger?

[notaclue]

Hi all I have a question for you. I coul;dn't find any reference to this in any literature I have.

My wife and I were in the back yard looking at what we hope to be a new property line and our blackberry bushes newly planted a couple weeks ago when she asked me about the bees. I took her over and explained that I was hoping that the top super, which has starter strips melted into the top bars will get drawn out quickly this spring. When I pulled the top covers and removed three frames to show her the deep brood box we noticed a lot of bees on top of the frames and on the bottom bars of the upper box fanning with their tails up in the air. I told her they do this a lot and they are exposing their nasanov (?) gland which is right next to their stinger and spreading the scent phermone throughout the hive.

What was curious was that they all had their stinger fully extended. Not just one or two, but the whole lot of them, about fifty or sixty. Does anyone have any insight? I have seen a few extend their stinger for a second or two, but not this many and not for the whole time they are fanning.

If it means anything, our days are high forties to low sixties and nights are high twenties to mid thirties.

Thanks all!
David

[George Fergusson]

Notaclue, could you actually see the nasonov gland? They'll actually separate the last 2 segments and expose the tissue when they're fanning the nasonov scent. I've never seen them do that AND simultaneously expose their stinger. They are 2 very different messages, and with their stings extended, I don't think they were blowing you kisses...

George-

[Michael Bush]

But if it was alarm pheremone, I'd expect some attacks.

[notaclue]

No attacks. No head butting. I'm not sure what to look for with the gland, but, they had their rumps up in the air and fanned with their wings with the stinger out. Like I said, not just for a second or two like I've seen them before, but extended for the entire time they were fanning. I didn't get close enough to detect an odor. I have FGMO 'ropes' on top of the frames in the bottom box. I reached in to adjust a couple that had slipped down between the frames. One bee crawled on my finger sniffed me with her antenna and crawled off. While I let her do that a couple others'sniffed' me also. No attacks and my wife asked what it felt like. (She reminded me of this...my memory comes and goes. If I don't have someone there to verify I normally chalk it up to halucination.)

[George Fergusson]

Here's a link with a photograph of the nasonov gland in action:

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/pheromone

I tried to get a picture of it this past summer but never succeeded.

I too have seen the bees fanning their exposed stinger, once just a couple around the hole in the inner cover when I lifted the lid to take a peek. I don't recall any head-butting going on, but then again I didn't venture into that hive further that day.

I think the pheromone being given off when they're fanning their stinger is the same "sting here" pheromone given off when they've actually deployed their weapon but it seems there may be a different context between the two instances that affect their behavior i.e., "hey watch this guy" vs. "target painted, attack at will". Dunno. I've seen their stingers and not been attacked, and I've been attacked without any apparent warning.

Golly I love these critters!

>(She reminded me of this...my memory comes and goes. If I don't have someone there to verify I normally chalk it up to halucination.)

Yeah...

George-

[George Fergusson]

FYI, newbee posted a picture of sting-fanning:

http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=004720

George-

[dickm]

In the book, Pheromones of social bees, JB Free states that the alarm pheromone is contained near or on the sting apparatus. When alarmed the bee will open the sting chamber and fan air past it to alarm the hive. Sounds a lot like what you saw. I've never seen it but have been mightily attacked. Maybe it requires the scent as well as a particular buzz to set them off.

Dickm

[notaclue]

George!

Thanks! That's exactly what they were doing and that is how I normally see them (with out the stinger exposed). Like I said this is the first time I saw them do this for this length of time and in these numbers. The hum was their normal contented hum. Thanks again...