Using video-tracking to assess sublethal effects of pesticides on honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)

The video-tracking system EthoVisionXT (Noldus Information Technologies) was used to measure the effects of sublethal exposure to tau-fluvalinate and imidacloprid on honey bee locomotion, interactions, and time spent near a food source over a 24-h observation period. Bees were either treated topically with 0.3, 1.5, and 3 µg tau-fluvalinate or exposed to 0.05, 0.5, 5.0, 50, and 500 ppb imidacloprid in a sugar agar cube. Tau-fluvalinate caused a significant reduction in distance moved at all dose levels (p < 0.05), as did 50 and 500 ppb imidacloprid (p < 0.001). Bees exposed to 50 and 500 ppb spent significantly more time near the food source than control bees (p < 0.05). Interaction time decreased as time in the food zone increased for both chemicals. This study documents that video-tracking of bee behavior can enhance current protocols for measuring the effects of pesticides on honey bees at sublethal levels. It may provide a means of identifying problematic compounds for further testing. The video-tracking system EthoVisionXT (Noldus Information Technologies) was used to measure the effects of sublethal exposure to tau-fluvalinate and imidacloprid on honey bee locomotion, interactions, and time spent near a food source over a 24-h observation period. Bees were either treated topically with 0.3, 1.5, and 3 µg tau-fluvalinate or exposed to 0.05, 0.5, 5.0, 50, and 500 ppb imidacloprid in a sugar agar cube. Tau-fluvalinate caused a significant reduction in distance moved at all dose levels (p < 0.05), as did 50 and 500 ppb imidacloprid (p < 0.001). Bees exposed to 50 and 500 ppb spent significantly more time near the food source than control bees (p < 0.05). Interaction time decreased as time in the food zone increased for both chemicals. This study documents that video-tracking of bee behavior can enhance current protocols for measuring the effects of pesticides on honey bees at sublethal levels. It may provide a means of identifying problematic compounds for further testing.
Source:
Bethany S. Teeters, Reed M. Johnson, Marion D. Ellis, Blair D. Siegfried. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012;31:1349–1354.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/etc.1830/abstract;jsessionid=E2FBA5571A260753BA8C43F1834BDC4F.d04t04?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false