2009 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) The objectives of this cooperative agreement are to determine the lethal and sub-lethal effects of crop pesticides on honey bee health. We propose to examine the exposure rates and effects of pesticides used on crops pollinated by bees in the mid-Atlantic region. Pesticide exposure could be one stress factor involved in colony collapse disorder (CCD) and bees used for pollination appear to be particularly at risk for CCD. Thus, the research will document to level of pesticide exposure from specific crops and determine the effects, if any, of this exposure on bee health. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Crops that rent bees for pollination including watermelons, cucumbers, and other cucurbits will be the target crops for these studies. Honey bee colonies will be placed in test plots were specific pesticide regimes are administered and the nectar and pollen from these crops collected and analyzed for pesticide residues. Following documentation of the levels of exposure in the nectar and pollen, cage studies will be conducted that expose bees to these concentrations of pesticides in protein and or carbohydrates diets and longevity used to determine effects. Companion studies may be carried out in larger fields where whole colonies can be exposed under real-world situations and colony health monitored. 3.Progress Report In FY09 the movement of the insecticide imidicloprid was monitored in a chronic exposure experiment that fed two low levels of imidacloprid to honey bee colonies in protein over a three month period and colony parameters followed. Bees from these colonies are also being used to look for changes in behavior in observations hives and for possible changes in immune response in cage studies by challenging control and treated worker bees with the gut pathogen Nosema. The progress of this project was monitored during two face to face meetings between UMD and ARS and continued exchanges of e-mails and phone calls during the experiments.