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In Vitro Rearing of Solitary Bees: A Tool for Assessing Larval Risk Factors
Published on: July 16, 2018
Spinosad toxicity to pollinators and associated risk
Monte A Mayes1, Gary D Thompson, Brian Husband
1Dow AgroSciences, Field Exposure and Effects Laboratory, 9330 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268, USA.
Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
|September 16, 2004
Summary
Spinosad, a natural insecticide, poses negligible risk to honeybees once residues dry on foliage. Studies show dried spinosad is not acutely harmful to bees, with minimal impact on hive viability and brood development.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Entomology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Spinosad is a natural insecticide derived from Saccharopolyspora spinosa.
- It exhibits high efficacy against various insect larvae but has low toxicity to mammals and wildlife.
- Concerns exist regarding its potential toxicity to pollinators, particularly bees.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the hazard of spinosad to bees using a tiered approach.
- To assess the potential adverse effects on foraging bees under typical agricultural use conditions.
- To determine the safety of spinosad for honeybees and bumblebees.
Main Methods:
- Conducted acute laboratory exposures and toxicity tests on dried residues.
- Performed greenhouse and semifield studies assessing acute and chronic toxicity.
- Executed full field studies on various crops under typical application methods.
Main Results:
- Spinosad residues dried for 3 hours are not acutely harmful to honeybees.
- Dried residues showed no acute toxicity to honeybees or bumblebees in glasshouse studies.
- Field studies confirmed low risk to adult honeybees and minimal effect on hive activity and brood development.
Conclusions:
- Once spinosad residues dry on plant foliage (typically within 3 hours), the risk to honeybees is negligible.
- Spinosad can be used with low risk to pollinators when applied according to recommended practices.
- The study provides comprehensive data supporting the safe use of spinosad in agricultural settings with respect to bee populations.
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