What does the "primer effect" refer to in bees?

The "primer effect" in bees refers to long-term changes in behavior or physiology that occur as a result of pheromone exposure. Unlike short-term pheromonal signals that might trigger immediate and temporary responses, such as foraging or alarm behaviors, primer pheromones are involved in influencing more enduring aspects of the colony's functioning. For example, they can affect developmental processes such as the differentiation between worker bees and queens, reproductive maturation, and colony cohesion over extended periods. This phenomenon underscores the role of chemical communication in shaping and regulating the social structure and reproductive dynamics within the hive, demonstrating the complexity of bee communication beyond immediate reactions to environmental stimuli.