LAUSR

Simple Summary As a native species in China; the survival and reproduction of Apis cerana cerana are heavily dependent on chemical signals. In the process of chemical communication, the antennae of bees serve as the primary sensing organs, and the legs also play an important role in the reception and transmission of chemical signals. In our study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe its legs, revealing two types of sensilla, and the ultrastructure of the tibial spur and the antennal brush was observed. The electrophysiological responses of the legs (ELG), along with Y-tube behavioral assays, were employed to validate the involvement of the bee’s legs in olfactory perception. The legs of bees at different ages showed varying degrees of significant response to nonanal and ocimene. Notably, 10-day-old bees exhibited a clear preference for nonanal and ocimene. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanistic role of the honeybee leg in chemical signal detection, elucidating their functional characteristics in chemical communication, and providing experimental evidence for the study of bee behavioral responses and environmental adaptation.