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Updated: Jun 27, 2025
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Evaluating the Effect of Environmental Chemicals on Honey Bee Development from the Individual to Colony Level
Published on: April 1, 2017
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Experimental Ecotoxicology Procedures Interfere with Honey Bee Life History
Victor Desclos le Peley1, Stéphane Grateau2, Carole Moreau-Vauzelle2
1Laboratoire Écologie et Biologie des Interactions-UMR CNRS 7267, Laboratoire EBI-Équipe Écologie Évolution Symbiose, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
|April 25, 2024
Summary
Acetone exposure significantly impacts honey bee (Apis mellifera) life history, especially when bees are reared in vitro. Adult bee exposure to acetone also reduced lifespan and foraging, with seasonal variations noted for solvent effects.
Area of Science:
- Ecotoxicology
- Insect Physiology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Acetone is a common solvent for pesticides, necessitating ecotoxicological assessment.
- Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are crucial pollinators and model organisms for environmental studies.
- In vitro larval rearing is used for precise exposure monitoring but may affect bee development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the ecotoxicological effects of acetone on honey bees at different life stages.
- To investigate the impact of in vitro larval rearing on bee life-history traits.
- To determine if seasonal variations influence acetone's effects on honey bees.
Main Methods:
- Honey bees were exposed to 0.1% acetone in feed during larval and/or adult stages.
- In vitro and in vivo larval rearing methods were compared.
- Life-history traits were monitored using radio frequency identification technology across three months (May, June, August).
Main Results:
- In vitro larval rearing significantly reduced bee lifespan (47.7%) and foraging tenure (40.6%).
- Acetone exposure in adult bees decreased lifespan (21.8-60%) and foraging tenure (30-37.7%).
- Larval acetone exposure showed no effect in vitro, but seasonal variations influenced adult exposure impacts.
Conclusions:
- In vitro larval rearing profoundly alters honey bee life cycles, independent of acetone exposure.
- Adult bee exposure to acetone negatively impacts key life-history traits, with seasonal effects.
- Long-term monitoring is crucial for assessing sublethal chemical impacts on bees across life stages and seasons.
