Meeting Abstract

74-1   13:30 - 13:45  The effects of a common agricultural fungicide on homing ability in honey bees (Apis mellifera) DesJardins, NS*; Fisher II, A; Harrison, JF; Smith, BH; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University ndesjard@asu.edu

Pollinator populations globally have declined at concerning rates in recent years, which is problematic given that at least 35 percent of all food production depends on them. Managed honey bee colony losses in particular have alarmed beekeepers and scientists, especially in the United States. Widespread agrochemical use has been implicated as one of the major causes of these colony losses. While the lethal effects of agrochemcials often receive the most attention, sublethal effects can occur at lower doses and can substantially weaken colonies over time. Impaired homing ability is one such sublethal effect. It is a complex task that requires learning about a variety of stimuli; disruption of this ability can cause foragers to get lost when returning to the hive and eventually lead to colony collapse. Here, we focus on a common agricultural fungicide, Pristine® (active ingredients: 25.2% boscalid, 12.8% pyraclostrobin). We have previously shown that Pristine® impairs performance on an olfactory learning task in the laboratory; because of this, we hypothesized that it would impair homing as well. We will present the results of an experiment that we used to measure homing, in which we released Pristine®-exposed honey bee foragers in the field at set distances away from their hives and recorded the amount of time it took them to return home. This experiment provides a field-realistic look at the negative effects of fungicides on honey bee behavior, with potential implications for agriculture and pesticide regulation. This research was partially supported by USDA 2017-68004-26322.