Morphology and Olfactory Recognition of Leg Sensilla in Honeybee Workers of Apis cerana cerana

Simple SummaryAs a native species in China; the survival and reproduction ofApis cerana ceranaare heavily dependent on chemical signals. In the process of chemical communication, the antennae of bees serve as the primary sensing organs, and the legs also play an important role in the reception and transmission of chemical signals. In our study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe its legs, revealing two types of sensilla, and the ultrastructure of the tibial spur and the antennal brush was observed. The electrophysiological responses of the legs (ELG), along with Y-tube behavioral assays, were employed to validate the involvement of the bee’s legs in olfactory perception. The legs of bees at different ages showed varying degrees of significant response to nonanal and ocimene. Notably, 10-day-old bees exhibited a clear preference for nonanal and ocimene. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanistic role of the honeybee leg in chemical signal detection, elucidating their functional characteristics in chemical communication, and providing experimental evidence for the study of bee behavioral responses and environmental adaptation.Apis cerana ceranais a key social insect, and its ability to recognize chemical signals is crucial for maintaining colony homeostasis and coordinating collective behaviors, such as foraging, nursing, and defense. The legs of insects play a significant role in gustatory perception and proximity olfactory perception. In this study, the leg sensilla ofA. c. ceranawere observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two types of sensilla were observed, including sensilla trichodea (Str I, Str II, Str III, Str IV, Str V, and Str VI) and sensilla chaetica (Sch I, Sch II, and Sch III). The two unique structures of the tibial spur (Tsp I, Tsp II) and antennal brush (Abr) are carefully observed. The electrophysiological responses of workers at different ages to diverse chemical compounds were measured via electrolegogram (ELG) recordings on their legs. The results showed that 1-day-oldA. c. ceranawas more sensitive to nonanal; 10-day-old and 25-day-oldA. c. ceranawere more sensitive to ocimene. The results of behavioral responses showed that nonanal and ocimene can significantly attract 10-day-old workers ofA. c. cerana. This study establishes a foundation for further exploration of the mechanisms by which the legs ofA. c. ceranafacilitate colony-level communication through chemical signals. It also provides an important theoretical basis for understanding their social organization and information transmission.