Location: Invasive Species and Pollinator Health
Title: The sublethal effects of IGRs on queens, workers, and colony reproductionAuthor
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 11/13/2020 Publication Date: 1/7/2021 Citation: Fine, J.D. 2021. The sublethal effects of IGRs on queens, workers, and colony reproduction [abstract]. American Bee Research Conference Abstracts. https://www.beeculture.com/american-bee-research-conference-abstracts/ Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: As part of the USDA-ARS Invasive Species and Pollinator Health Research Unit, the new Pollinator Health Lab in Davis, California, is dedicated to performing longitudinal studies related to the health and productivity of managed honey bee colonies in an effort to help inform and develop improved management practices for beekeepers. This presentation will describe current research efforts focused on understanding how agrochemicals like insect growth regulators affect honey bee reproduction, behavior and the long term consequences of exposure scenarios. The results of experiments assessing queen fecundity and worker physiology will be discussed, focusing on the recent findings that IGR formulations commonly used in almond orchards during bloom can negatively influence queen productivity. Initial findings suggest that IGRs act transovarially, resulting in impaired hatching rates in eggs laid by exposed queens. The potential consequences of this effect on metrics such as colony population stability, the development of surviving embryos and their performance as adults, and the fecundity of queens will be discussed. |
