Abstract

Simple Summary Social insects such as honeybees rely on coordinated division of labor (DOL) between workers for colony survival, with foraging and nest defense being two core tasks. However, the molecular mechanisms driving behavioral specialization for these tasks remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated foragers (nectar, pollen, and water collectors) and guard bees of the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera ligustica) using behavioral assays and transcriptomic approaches. We found that the proboscis extension response (PER) and gustatory response scores (GRS) were significantly higher in foragers (especially water foragers) than in guard bees. foraging (for) gene expression levels and PKG activity were also higher in foragers than in guard bees, with pollen foragers showing higher levels than nectar foragers. Transcriptomic analysis further identified distinct task-related gene expression patterns and highlighted the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway as a key regulator of DOL. Our findings reveal that Amfor and PKG signaling suggest a role in task specialization in honeybees, providing new insights into the conserved regulation of social insect behaviors.