2017年3月15日， 國際學術權威刊物自然出版集團旗下子刊《Scientific Reports》雜誌線上發表了中國科學院西雙版納熱帶植物園譚墾研究組的一篇研究論文， 研究揭示了工蜂對蜂王資訊素的感受機制。
在高度社會性的蜜蜂群體中， 蜂王通過釋放資訊素來影響蜂群的行為。 蜂王資訊素有多種重要功能， 如抑制新蜂王的培育及工蜂卵巢發育、吸引工蜂在蜂王周圍形成侍從圈並飼喂蜂王、誘使雄蜂追蹤並交配等。 東、西方蜜蜂是親緣關係非常接近的姐妹種， 兩種蜜蜂的蜂王資訊素成分類似且含量差別不大， 即蜂王資訊素具有保守性，
譚墾研究團隊， 對蜂王資訊素的感受機制進行了詳盡的研究。 結果發現西方蜜蜂對蜂王資訊素的敏感性遠高於東方蜜蜂;西方蜜蜂蜂王周圍的侍從蜂數量較東方蜜蜂的多。 這些結果說明不同蜜蜂對蜂王資訊素的化學感受具有種的特異性;有助於解釋東方蜜蜂的工蜂卵巢發育水準較高的原因。 由於東方蜜蜂比西方蜜蜂更容易分蜂(swarming)及飛逃(absconding)， 因此更容易丟失蜂王， 工蜂降低對蜂王資訊素的敏感性， 促使其卵巢發育可能是一種行為上的適應， 有利於提高蜜蜂群體的適合度。
原文連結：
原文摘要：
In highly social bees, queen mandibular pheromone (QMP) is vital for colony life. Both Apis cerana (Ac) and Apis mellifera (Am) share an evolutionarily conserved set of QMP compounds: (E)-9-oxodec-2-enoic acid (9-ODA), (E)-9-hydroxydec-2-enoic acid (9-HDA), (E)-10-hydroxy-dec-2-enoic acid (10-HDA), 10-hydroxy-decanoic acid (10-HDAA), and methyl p–hydroxybenzoate (HOB) found at similar levels. However, evidence suggests there may be species-specific sensitivity differences to QMP compounds because Ac workers have higher levels of ovarian activation than Am workers. Using electroantennograms, we found species-specific sensitivity differences for a blend of the major QMP compounds and three individual compounds (9-HDA, 10-HDAA, and 10-HDA). As predicted, Am was more sensitive than Ac in all cases (1.3- to 2.7- fold higher responses). There were also species differences in worker retinue attraction to three compounds (9-HDA, HOB, and 10-HDA). In all significantly different cases, Am workers were 4.5- to 6.2-fold more strongly attracted than Ac workers were. Thus, Ac workers responded less strongly to QMP than Ac workers, and 9-HDA and 10-HDA consistently elicited stronger antennal and retinue formation responses.