Influence of social environment on genetically based subfamily signature in the honeybee

In honeybees, the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles are partly genetically based and differ between subfamilies, which suggests that they might be used by the workers as labels for subfamily recognition. This ability could potentially form the basis for nepotistic conflicts between subfamilies that would be detrimental to the inclusive fitness of the colony. Here we have compared the subfamily hydrocarbon profiles of 5-day-old workers maintained in isolation with those kept in their parental colony. We demonstrate that the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles tend to be less distant between most subfamilies within the hive compared with those held in isolation. The main consequence of this partial homogenization of the majority of subfamily signatures may result in a reduction of the number of recognizable subfamilies in the colony. Nevertheless, a few subfamilies retain very distinct cuticular hydrocarbon profiles.