Honey Bee

Treatment Rates & Methods

With a target dose rate of 12.5 μg/mL, a dose amount of 2 μL per bee and a Sponsor provided active ingredient concentration of 15% (15 g a.i. / 100 mL), the amount of test substance required for 10 mL of solution was determined to be 0.833 mL.

Approximately 0.833 mL of the test substance was placed in a 10 mL container and brought to volume with the vehicle to make a 12.5 μg a.i./μL solution (6.6% PureCrop1 dilution). 

A single dose of the test substance, the vehicle, or the positive control was applied to each bee's thorax via a micro applicator. All bees were dosed topically on the dorsal side of their thorax with 2 μL of the appropriate solution. 

All bees were observed at approximately 4, 24, and 48 hours after dosing for mortality and clinical signs of toxicity, particularly signs of intoxication (ataxia, lethargy, hypersensitivity, etc.). 

Results were evaluated by comparing mortality between the treated and untreated control groups. 

Study Conclusions

In a 48-hour acute contact toxicity study, adult worker honeybees, Apis mellifera, were exposed to the test substance, PureCrop1, by direct topical application to their thorax at the nominal dose of 25 μg a.i./bee. 

The test substance solution was individually administered to 100 bees as a single topical dose of 25 μg a.i ./bee. 

The bees were observed for mortality and clinical signs of toxicity at 4, 24, and 48 hours post-dose. Therefore, based on these test results, PureCrop1 is nontoxic to honey bees when used as directed.