Behavioural & Communication Research Group


Department of Botany & Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
	Contact details: Department of Botany & Zoology University of Stellenbosch Private Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South Africa Theresa Wossler Tel. +27-21-8083160 Fax.+27-21-8082405 E-mail: wossler@sun.ac.za		Behavioural Ecology Dr Theresa C Wossler The study of reproductive regulation and reproductive skew, the focus of my research, is integral to untangling the evolution of sociality in the animal kingdom and this reproductive division of labour is one of the most significant features of social organisation. The Hymenoptera are ideal tools in studying the proximate and ultimate mechanisms of sociality since there is a continuum from solitary all the way through to highly eusocial hymenopterans. My research focuses primarily on the highly eusocial honeybee but I also work on the more primitive ponerine ant which has lost it's queen caste providing a unique system to study dominance hierarchies and reproductive regulation. A large part of my research focuses on the chemical communication system within honeybee societies. The study of pheromones within the social insects is not a new discipline yet the influences of honeybee/ant semiochemicals are not fully understood. The BCRG (Behavioural and Communication Research Group) is interested in analysing and identifying, through gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, the signalling systems used by social insects in maintaining colony co-ordination and functioning. The approaches of quantifying the responses of honeybees to a particular signal are multi-faceted with behavioural and physiological analysis, experimental as well as fieldwork. Understanding the various aspects of reproductive regulation and how they may interact with each other remains an enigma, and forms the underlying theme of my research interests. Department Botany & Zoology University of Stellenbosch Private Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South Africa TEL: +27 21 808 3160 FAX: +27 21 808 2405 EMAIL: wossler@sun.ac.za Publications In Press Hoover , S.E.R., Oldroyd, B.P., Wossler, T.C. and Winston, M.L. Anarchistic queen honey bees have normal queen mandibular pheromones. Insectes Sociaux, in press. Jones, G.E., Wossler, T.C., Allsopp, M.H and Hepburn, H.R. The effect of holding conditions on virgin queen acceptance by Apis mellifera capensis workers. Submitted to Apidologie. Ratnieks, F.L.W., Wossler, T.C ., Neumann, P. and Moritz, R.F.A. Egg laying and egg removal in honey bee colonies with different levels of anarchy. Insectes Sociaux 2002 Wossler, T.C. 2002. Pheromone mimicry by Apis mellifera capensis social parasites leads to reproductive anarchy in host A.m. scutellata colonies. A review article, Apidologie 33: 139-163. Martin, S.J., Beekman, M., Wossler, T.C. and Ratnieks, F.L.W. 2002. Parasitic Cape honeybee workers, Apis mellifera capensis, evade policing. Nature 415: 163-165. Martin, S.J., Wossler, T.C. and Kryger, P. 2002. Usurpation of African Apis mellifera scutellata colonies by parasitic Apis mellifera capensis workers. Apidologie 33: 215-232. Oldroyd, B.P., Ratnieks, F.L.W. and Wossler, T.C. 2002. Egg marking pheromones in honey-bees Apis mellifera. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 51: 590-591. 2001 Wossler, T.C. and Crewe R.M. 2001. Deceit in chemical signalling by Apis mellifera capensis workers. Proceedings of the seventh IBRA Conference on Tropical Bees: Management and Diversity & Fifth Asian Apicultural Association Conference. IBRA, eds. International Bee Research Association, Thailand pp 105-112. Oldroyd, B.P., Wossler, T.C. and Ratnieks, F.L.W. 2001. Regulation of ovary activation in worker honey-bees (Apis mellifera): larval signal production and adult response thresholds differ between anarchistic and wild-type bees. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 50:366-370. 2000 Wossler, T.C ., Veale, R.B. & Crewe, R.M. 2000. How queen-like are the tergal glands in workers of Apis mellifera capensis and A.m. scutellata? Apidologie 31:1-12 McGeoch, M.A. and Wossler, T.C. 2000. Range expansion and success of the weed biocontrol agent, Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae (Froggatt) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) in South Africa. African Entomology 8:273-280. 1999 Wossler, T.C. & Crewe, R.M. 1999. Honeybee queen tergal gland secretion affects ovarian development in caged workers. Apidologie 30:1-10. Wossler, T.C. & Crewe, R.M. 1999. The releaser effects of the tergal gland secretion of queen honeybees (Apis mellifera). Journal of Insect Behaviour 12:343-351. Wossler, T.C. & Crewe, R.M. 1999. Mass spectral identification of the tergal gland secretions of female castes of two African honeybee races (Apis mellifera). Journal of Apicultural Research 38:137-148. Current Students Hons. Students Sheena Findlay Are Capensis social parasites a threat to native A.m. capensis colonies? Nicole Wakeford The social parasitic Cape honeybee: is it queen or worker effect? MSc Students Marc Hanekom The effect of brood and queen genotyope, as well as colony environment, on the success of A.m. capensis social parasite. Biopelo Ramongalo Examining the basic principles of the use of honeybee colonies for commercial polination in deciduous fruit crops. PhD Students Lee-Ann Noac-Pienaar The influences of genotype and/or environment on phenotypic expressions. Current Collaboration UK Dr Francis Ratnieks Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects Department of Animal & Plant Sciences University of Sheffield AUSTRALIA Dr Michael Schwarz School of Biological Sciences Flinders University Adelaide Dr Ben Oldroyd School of Biological Sciences University of Sydney GERMANY Dr Peter Neumann Molecular Ecology, Institute of Zoology Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg SOUTH AFRICA Mike Allsopp Honeybee Research Section Plant Protection Research Institute Agricultural Research Council
, tel +27 21 808 2173