Thesis
Sublethal effects of brood comb pesticide residues on honey bee (Hymenoptera: apidae) colony health
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2012
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/102332
Abstract
Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) exposure to pesticide residues in brood comb is known to be detrimental to individual honey bee health. This study focuses on the effect of pesticide residue exposure on colony health. Colonies were established in two groups: treatment hives that contained high levels of pesticide residues in the brood comb and control hives that had low levels of pesticide residues within the brood comb. Baseline differences in pesticide residue content were established using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry and confirmed higher pesticide levels and diversity in the treatment group. Colony performance was assessed by examining adult population, brood surface area, queen acceptance, hygienic behavior, parasite load, queen cell production, overwintering survival and honey yield. Pesticide accumulation in worker and queen tissue over a defined period was also measured. Higher brood production occurred in treatment hives compared to control colonies, although there were no differences in adult bee population. Differences between control and treatment groups were detected in queen acceptance and queen cell prevalence, but not in hygienic behavior, parasite load, overwintering survival or honey yield. Increased brood production may have compensated for decreased adult longevity in bees reared in high pesticide residue brood combs. This study confirms previous findings that high pesticide exposure adversely affects queen survival and overall colony reproductive fitness. Data also confirmed that in the treatment hives, pesticide levels in worker bee tissue increased in overwintered bees.
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Details
- Title
- Sublethal effects of brood comb pesticide residues on honey bee (Hymenoptera: apidae) colony health
- Creators
- Natalie Kira Boyle
- Contributors
- Walter S. Sheppard (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Entomology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525195501842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis