Research on pollinators is an active area of scientific inquiry. However, there is a paucity of research devoted to improving the fundamental aspects of pesticide risk assessment for pollinators. The Pollinator Research Task Force (PRTF) was formed in 2015 by a group of US pesticide registrants to facilitate improvement in pollinator risk assessment knowledge, specifically focusing on the pollinator risk assessment paradigm jointly created in 2014 by the US EPA, Health Canada PMRA, and California DPR. The research projects conducted by the PRTF are developed in collaboration with the US EPA insuring relevancy to pollinator risk assessment needs in the United States, while remaining cognizant of and generally applicable to regulatory issues regarding pollinators globally. This presentation will summarize completed, ongoing and planned PRTF projects. Completed and published projects include: a ring-test of improvements to the honey bee larval repeat-dose test methodology, a literature survey and analysis of the relevance of guttation water as a potential source of pesticide exposure to honey bees, and; results of an international workshop on non-Apis exposure pathways. Completed projects that are in the manuscript submission/review phase include: a literature review and analysis of honey bee colony-level consumption of pollen and nectar and of nectar consumption by nectar foragers particularly; Monte Carlo model development and evaluation of nectar consumption by honey bee nectar foragers, and ; a literature review and analysis of pesticide active ingredient acute toxicity to honey bees compared to formulated product toxicity. PRTF projects that are in progress include: evaluation of the BEEHAVE model parameterized to North American conditions for prediction of over-wintering survival of honey bee colonies; refinement, standardization and ring-test of the “Toxicity of Residues on Foliage: RT25 Test”, and; laboratory evaluation of alternative solvents for use in honey bee larval tests.

Pollinator research task force: Overview of accomplishments and upcoming projects

2019 Fall National Meeting

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