The decline of honey bees, Apis mellifera L., is a nationally recognized problem that demands attention from both the scientific community and the beekeeping industry.  The pesticides tau-fluvalinate (pyrethroid miticide), coumaphos (organophosphate miticide), and chlorothalonil (organochlorine fungicide) are commonly found in bee hives throughout the United States. These pesticides are implicated in bee decline, however knowledge of the consequences of these pesticides and their relationship to bee health is limited.  In this study, we will: 1) assess the nutrition and immune status of bees exposed to tau-fluvalinate, coumaphos, and chlorothalonil, 2) determine the presence and prevalence of Nosema disease for bees exposed to these pesticides, and 3) develop predictive models of bee health thresholds that will improve management practices for colony health and reduce colony losses for the beekeeping industry.

Multifactorial assessment of nutrition and immunity in honey bees exposed to in-hive pesticides

244th National Meeting (2012)

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