Pollinators are essential for agriculture. Honey bees, as well as many species of wild bees, may be exposed to environmental toxins during foraging. Laboratory bioassays are conducted to determine the toxicity of a compound for use in a risk assessment. The larval toxicity, repeated exposure test is designed to measure the rate of survival of bee brood as they develop from larvae to pupae to enclosed adult workers when exposed to a toxin during the larval stage of development. This test design has historically proven to be challenging to meet validity criteria and produce consistent results. Recent modifications to the larval toxicity, repeated exposure methodology were developed at the University of Florida and were adopted for a 2016 ring test with the purpose of evaluating pupal survival through adult eclosion. While substantial advances in this methodology have improved survival and repeatability, there exist differences in how measurement endpoints are generated and interpreted. Here I present an overview on the larval toxicity, repeated exposure methodology and how to appropriately generate and interpret endpoints for use in risk assessment.

Current advancements for evaluating the risk of agrochemicals to developing bees

252nd National Meeting (2016)

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