Pesticide Contamination in Native North American Crops, Part II-Comparison of Flower, Honey Bee Workers, and Native Bee Residues in Lowbush Blueberry

• Published in: Insects (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 15; no. 8; p. 567
• Main Authors: Drummond, Francis A, Averill, Anne L, Eitzer, Brian D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 26-07-2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Agricultural ecosystems; Agricultural research; Apis mellifera; Apis mellifera (L.); Bee bread; Beehives; Bees; Blueberries; Bombus spp; Chemical analysis; Comparative analysis; Environmental aspects; Environmental protection; Exposure; Flowers; Flowers & plants; Fruits; Honey; Occupational exposure; Osmia; Osmia spp; pesticide exposure; Pesticide residues; Pesticide toxicity; Pesticides; Physiological aspects; Plant reproduction; Pollen; Pollination; Pollinators; Queens; Residues; Risk levels; Similarity; Vaccinium angustifolium; Workers (insect caste); United States; Canada; United States > US; Maine; flowers; Bombus spp; Osmia spp; pollen; pesticide exposure; Apis mellifera (L.)
• ISSN: 2075-4450; 2075-4450
• DOI: 10.3390/insects15080567

In lowbush blueberry fields, we conducted residue analysis comparing flowers, trapped pollen (honey bee and
spp.), and collected bees (honey bee workers, bumble bee queens, and non-
spp. wild native bees). The study was conducted from 2012 to 2014. The number of pesticide residues, total concentrations, and risk to honey bees (Risk Quotient) on flowers were not significantly different from those determined for trapped honey bee pollen (except in one study year when residues detected in flower samples were significantly lower than residue numbers detected in trapped pollen). The compositions of residues were similar on flowers and trapped pollen. The number of residues detected in honey bee pollen was significantly greater than the number detected in
spp. pollen, while the total concentration of residue was not different between the two types of pollen. The risk to honey bees was higher in trapped honey bee pollen than in trapped
spp. pollen. The analysis of honey bee workers, native bumble bee queens, and native solitary bees showed that although more pesticide residues were detected on honey bee workers, there were no differences among the bee taxa in total residue concentrations or risk (as estimated in terms of risk to honey bees).