Fungicide Exposure in Honey Bee Hives Varies By Time, Worker Role, and Proximity to Orchards in Spring.

ABSTRACT: Fungicides are commonly applied to prevent diseases in eastern North American cherry orchards at the same time that honey bees (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) are rented for pollination services. Fungicide exposure in honey bees can cause negative health effects. To measure fungicide exposure, we sampled commercial honey bee colonies during orchard bloom at two commercial tart cherry orchards and one holding yard in northern Michigan over two seasons. Nurse bees, foragers, larvae, pollen, bee bread, and wax were screened for captan, chlorothalonil, and thiophanate-methyl. We also looked at the composition of pollens collected by foragers during spring bloom. We found differences in fungicide residue levels between nurse bees and foragers, with higher captan levels in nurse bees.

SUBMITTER: Perkins JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10148177 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature