The effects of sublethal exposure to diazinon, carbaryl and resmethrin on longevity and foraging in Apis mellifera L

Abstract

Summary — Topical, sublethal applications of three insecticides, diazinon, carbaryl and resmethrin, were given to worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) of two age groups, 0 and 14 days. For newly emerged workers, carbaryl was the most hazardous in sublethal amounts, adversely affecting both longevity and foraging age. Resmethrin was intermediate in effect, and diazinon the least hazardous. This is different from mortality studies in which the effects of carbaryl and diazinon were similar, and resmethrin the most toxic. For 14-day-old workers, there were only two statistically significant differences affecting foraging in the sublethal studies, and these were not conclusive. However, in mortality studies carbaryl was the least toxic, diazinon intermediate and resmethrin the most toxic pesticide.Newly emerged worker honey bees were more sensitive to pesticide exposure, in both acute and sublethal effects, than older workers. In order to evaluate pesticide hazards to the honey bee, both laboratory and field tests should be used. A field bioassay involving sublethal exposure effects on longevity and foraging may be useful in this regard.

Widespread Occurrence of Chemical Residues in Beehive Matrices from Apiaries Located in Different Landscapes of Western France

“…Ninety percent of carbaryl detections concerned the samples collected in 2008, which is consistent with the ban on the use of this compound in November 2008 in France, and confirmed that the beehive matrices are very sensitive in terms of reflecting agricultural practices and pesticide use. In addition, it was previously demonstrated that sublethal exposure to carbaryl has adverse effects on the longevity and foraging activities of honey bees [62]. Although the concentrations determined in the present study were lower than those in this semi-field study, chronic exposure to this insecticide might cause problems to bee colonies.…”

Research Article Sub-lethal doses of neonicotinoid and carbamate insecticides reduce the lifespan and alter the expression of immune health and detoxification related genes of honey bees (Apis mellifera)

“…These findings coincide with what has been reported in the literature for carbaryl and other insecticides. For example, bees treated with a LD 5 of diazinon, carbaryl, and resmethrin lived between 7% and 25% shorter lives than control bees (Mackenzie and Winston, 1988). Also, Wu et al (2011) found that adult longevity decreased 4d in bees exposed to residues of imidacloprid, clothianidin, and aldicarb in contaminated brood comb during development, although compared to our study, Wu et al (2011) used doses that were at least five times higher than those used by us for clothianidin and imidacloprid.…”

“…Worker bees were challenged orally and topically with sublethal doses of clothianidin, imidacloprid, and carbaryl. In previous studies, sublethal doses of pesticides tested were 5 × 10 0 to 1.5 × 10 2 times lower than their LD 50s (Decourtye et al, 2004;Aliouane et al, 2009), or the LD 5 , LD 10 and LD 25 values (Mackenzie and Winston, 1988). Based on that range of options, in the current study, LD 5 was selected for the sublethal dose to be tested (Table 1).…”

Learning performances of honeybees (Apis mellifera L) are differentially affected by imidacloprid according to the season

“…Several neurotoxic insecticides have been shown to have effects on various aspects of foraging behaviour in free‐flying bees. Thus, it has been reported that parathion disrupted the communication dance of foraging bees,16, 17 diazinon affected the onset and the duration of foraging, and the handling of nectar,18 and permethrin and deltamethrin induced an abnormal behaviour pattern during the homing flight 19. 20 The PER assay has also been used to assess the effects of insecticides 21–24.…”