Social parasitic Hymenopterans have evolved morphological, chemical, and behavioral adaptations to overcome the sophisticated recognition and defense systems of their social host to invade host nests and exploit their worker force. In bumblebees, social parasitism appeared in at least 3 subgenera independently: in the subgenus Psithyrus consisting entirely of parasitic species, in the subgenus Alpinobombus with Bombus hyperboreus, and in the subgenus Thoracobombus with B. inexspectatus. Cuckoo bumblebee males utilize species-specific cephalic labial gland secretions for mating purposes that can impact their inquiline strategy. We performed cephalic labial gland secretions in B. hyperboreus, B. inexspectatus and their hosts. Males of both parasitic species exhibited high species specific levels of cephalic gland secretions, including different main compounds. Our results showed no chemical mimicry in the cephalic gland secretions between inquilines and their host and we did not identify the repellent compounds already known in other cuckoo bumblebees.

Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Prague Czech Republic

Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v v i Institute of Entomology České Budějovice Czech Republic

Department of Biology the Pennsylvania State University University Park Pennsylvania USA

Department of Mathematics University of Pavia Pavia Italy

Faculty of Science Department of Zoology University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences Department of Sustainable Technologies Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Czech Republic

Laboratory of Zoology Research institute of Biosciences University of Mons Mons Belgium

Research Unit Animal and Functionalities of Animal Products University of Lorraine INRA Vandoeuvre lès Nancy France

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Variability in Sexual Pheromones Questions their Role in Bumblebee Pre-Mating Recognition System