Simulating Honey Bee Large-Scale Colony Feeding Studies Using the BEEHAVE Model-Part II: Analysis of Overwintering Outcomes.

ABSTRACT: Large-scale colony feeding studies (LSCFSs) aim to assess potential pesticide exposure to and effects on honey bees at the colony level. However, these studies are sometimes affected by high losses of control colonies, indicating that other stressors may impact colonies and confound the analysis of potential pesticide impacts. We assessed the study design and environmental conditions experienced by the untreated control colonies across 7 LSCFSs conducted in North Carolina (USA). Overwintering success differed considerably among the studies, as did their initial colony conditions, amount and timing of sugar feeding, landscape composition, and weather. To assess the effects of these drivers on control colonies' overwintering success, we applied the mechanistic colony model BEEHAVE. Sugar fee

SUBMITTER: Abi-Akar F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7702061 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature