Abstract:  Honeybee queens share the same genetic background with the workers, and they both are developed from fertilized eggs. Nutritional and spatial variances during the development lead to significant morphological, physiological and behavioral dimorphism between the two castes. The insulin signaling pathway (IIS) regulates the behavior of worker bees, thus influencing their longevity. Longer longevity of queen bees is associated with increased oxidative stress and enhanced stress defense. Vitellogenin (Vg) interacts with juvenile hormone (JH), and the relatively high level of Vg and low level of JH usually lead to longer longevity. Telomerase activity and telomere length are influenced by the development and caste of honeybees. Queens inherit longer telomere length and maintain higher telomerase activity than workers. Overwintering worker bees live longer and show higher telomerase activity than the summer worker bees. Mitochondrial damage is a sign of senescence, while the mitochondrial function of the aged queen remains vigorous. Senescence is closely related to DNA methylation, and DNA methylation and histone modification play important roles in the regulation of plasticity in social insects. With the increase in population aging and the high prevalence of senescence-related diseases, “healthy aging” has triggered a series of concerns in life sciences and social sciences. Studies on honeybee senescence and longevity regulation will provide an important reference for the biology of senescence.

Key words: Honeybee, senescence, longevity, DNA methylation, plasticity