Nasonov pheromone

To broadcast this scent, bees raise their abdomens, which contain the Nasonov glands, and fan their wings vigorously.

Once the foraging bee leaves the nest it uses its sense from special sensing cells on the antennae to locate and distinguish forage plants, which each give off a unique blend of odour chemicals.

A synthetically produced Nasonov pheromone can be used to attract a honey bee swarm to an unoccupied hive or a swarm-catching box.

Synthetically produced Nasonov consists of citral and geraniol in a 2:1 ratio.

[2][3][4][5] Nasonov thought that the gland performed perspiration;[6] it was Frederick William Lambert Sladen (May 30, 1876 - 1921) of England who in 1901 first proposed that the gland produced a pheromone.