The basic contents and main fields of honeybee chemical ecology were summarized in the review, focused on the achievements and advances in the studies on chemical communication and pheromones of honeybees in colony. Up to now five chemical components of the queen pheromone from the mandibular glands of Apis mellifera have been identified, including 9 oxo (E) 2 decenoic acid (9 ODA), R( ) 9 hydroxy (E) 2 decenoic acid(R( ) 9HDA), S(+) 9 hydroxy (E) 2 decenoic acid (S(+) 9HDA), methyl p...