new work by Brenna Traver, Rick Fell, &c.


In this study, we sought to determine whether two beekeeper-applied pesticide products,
tau-fluvalinate and Fumagilin-B®, and one agrochemical, chlorothalonil, impact the nutrient levels in
honey bee workers in a natural colony environment. Treatments were performed in-hive and at three
different periods (fall, spring, and summer) over the course of one year. Bees were sampled both at
pre-treatment and two and four weeks post-treatment, weighed, and their protein and carbohydrate
levels were determined using BCA and anthrone based biochemical assays, respectively. We report
that, based on the pesticide concentrations tested, no significant negative impact of the pesticide
products was observed on wet weight, protein levels, or carbohydrate levels of bees from treated
colonies compared with bees from untreated control colonies.

While there has been discussion about how pesticides impact the health of honey bee colonies,
our study suggests that two beekeeper-applied pesticides, tau-fluvalinate and Fumigilin-B®, and
the commonly encountered fungicide chlorothalonil, at recommended or naturally occurring
concentrations, do not negatively impact the health of honey bees, as measured by protein and
carbohydrate nutrient levels.

Feazel-Orr, H. K., Catalfamo, K. M., Brewster, C. C., Fell, R. D., Anderson, T. D., & Traver, B. E. (2016). Effects of Pesticide Treatments on Nutrient Levels in Worker Honey Bees (Apis mellifera). Insects, 7(1), 8.

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