Research on Bee Health

According to Washington State University (http://wsutoday.wsu.edu), research has been conducted on the effects of pesticide residue on honey bees. They found that low levels of pesticides build up in honey bee brood comb wax, which causes delayed larval development and a shortened adult lifespan. The pesticides involved in the study include those used by beekeepers, growers and homeowners, such as miticides, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. The pesticide residue contamination in the brood comb may play a role in losses associated with colony collapse disorder (CCD).

Honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae), colony with queen. Photo by Bart Drees, Professor and Extension Entomologist, Texas A&M University.