Phase and Caste Determination in Insects

Phase and Caste Determination in Insects: Endocrine Aspects is a collection of papers presented at a Symposium of the Section Physiology and Biochemistry of the XV International Congress of Entomology, held in Washington, D.C. in 1976. Contributors explore the endocrine aspects of phase and caste differentiation in insects, with emphasis on the crucial roles of juvenile hormone (JH) and queen bee determinator. This book is comprised of 11 chapters and begins with a discussion on the role of JH in caste formation in honey bees, bumblebees, and termites. Subsequent chapters explore environmental, genetic, and endocrine influences in caste determination in the stingless bee; endocrine control over caste differentiation in higher termites and Myrmicine ants; the influence of external factors on hormone effects in termite caste determination; and the role of JH in the polymorphism of aphids. The final chapter deals with the regulation of aphid polymorphism by neurosecretory cells. This monograph will be a valuable resource for entomologists, endocrinologists, physiologists, and biochemists as well as insect enthusiasts.