Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely used plant-systemic compounds that contain the active ingredients imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin.  This class of insecticide has perhaps been subject to more scrutiny than any other potential cause of recent honey bee and wild pollinator declines.  Laboratory-based studies have shown that neonicotinoids may elicit various acute or chronic effects on bees.  However, higher-tier studies, where dietary exposure to pollen and nectar occurs through plants grown from soil or seed-treatment applications, have failed to demonstrate significant effects.  In this talk, we describe results from field studies we have conducted with honey bees and bumble bees that suggest exposure to neonicotinoid-treated crops has no significant effect on colony health.  These results will be framed within the context of other observations regarding declines and health of pollinators over the past few decades.

Field studies examining exposure and effects of neonicotinoid insecticides on bee colonies

248th National Meeting (2014)

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