PSYCHE 
Vol. 69 March, 1962 No. 1 
A CHEMICAL ALARM RELEASER IN 
HONEY BEE STINGS ( APIS MELLIFERA L.) 1 
By Ralph L. Ghent and Norman E. Gary 
Department of Entomology 
Cornell University 
Chemicals that function to communicate alarm among the members 
of hymenopteran colonies have been discovered in recent years by 
several investigators. These chemicals, released by disturbed insects 
and detected in the gaseous state by other members of the colony, have 
been shown to elicit various forms of alarm behavior, differing accord- 
ing to species, but always related to the defense of the colony. Certain 
species of ants in particular have been shown to employ such “alarm 
releasers” (Wilson, 1958; Butenandt and Lindauer, 1959; Brown, 
i960; Ghent, 1961). Preliminary evidence presented by Huber 
(1814) suggests that the honey bee (Apis mellifera) also possesses 
such a mechanism. 
It is a common observation among beekeepers that the probability of 
being stung increases after the first sting. The frequency of stinging 
often appears to rise exponentially: for example, a beekeeper working 
with colony after colony becomes increasingly liable to be stung. This 
phenomenon suggests that bees possess some means of labelling an in- 
truder, presumably by applying an alarm releaser to the victim during 
the act of stinging. 
A characteristic, pleasantly sweet scent is noticeable at the site of 
stinging. This scent, although not detectable from undisturbed bees, 
becomes quite concentrated in a closed container of agitated bees and 
is most perceptible from newly-inserted stings. One exception is that 
the stings of recently emerged bees bear no such scent. When the bee 
stings, the barbed sting and its basal motor apparatus are torn from the 
departing worker and remain imbedded in the skin. The fragrant 
This investigation was supported by a research grant (MY 3368) from 
the Mental Health Division, U. S. Public Health Service. 
Manuscript received by the editor October 16, 1961. 
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