Question

Royal jelly is secreted by

• A. Maxillary glands
• B. Labial glands
• C. Hypopharyngeal glands
• D. Mandibular glands

Hint:

Nurse bees (5--15 days old) utilize their hypopharyngeal glands to secrete the proteinaceous portion of royal jelly, which determines queen development.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Understanding the physiological glands of worker honey bees (Apis mellifera) is essential to study colony nutrition, division of labor, and caste differentiation.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Royal jelly is a white, gelatinous substance fed to honey bee larvae and adult queens.
It is synthesized and secreted by the specialized glands of young worker bees, specifically during their "nurse bee" phase, when they are 5 to 15 days old.
The primary glands responsible for this secretion are the hypopharyngeal glands, located in the head of the worker bees.
These paired, long, coiled tubular glands open into the pharynx and produce a protein-rich secretion.
Additionally, the mandibular glands of the nurse bees secrete a lipid-rich component that is mixed with the hypopharyngeal secretion to form complete, balanced royal jelly.
Maxillary glands and labial glands are involved in saliva production and digestive enzyme secretion rather than royal jelly synthesis.
Therefore, the hypopharyngeal glands are the primary source of royal jelly secretion.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Royal jelly is primarily secreted by the Hypopharyngeal glands.