Dashed lines represent responses to the effect of the air flow without a pheromone, solid lines - responses to the effect of the air flow carrying the bee queen pheromone. Having in mind the fact that pheromone molecules are brought to the antennal receptors by the air flow, we tried to investigate and compare the time course of the EAG when the antenna was exposed to the air flow carrying pheromone and without it. It has been determined by evaluating the time between the moment the valve in the air delivery system opened and the moment the slow potential started to rise. The difference determined, which accounted for some milliseconds only, was not statistically significant. Dynamic parameters of EAG of worker bees and drones obtained under the effect of the air flow with the bee queen pheromone and without it.
Lower trace indicates delivery of stimulus.
Usually the EAG amplitude took a certain time to reach its maximum. Antennal reactions of worker bees to the air flow without a pheromone took on average 58.6 7.6 ms to reach this maximum. In reactions to a pheromone this moment was reached within 106.4 11.8 ms. Beginning with this moment the magnitude of the EAG amplitude either remained at the same level or decreased slowly, though stimulation was not terminated. Sometimes the EAG amplitude, having reached its maximum, suddenly decreased.