Poisoning of honey bees (Apis mellifera) by sodium fluoroacetate (1080) in baits

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Abstract
The behaviour of honey bees feeding on sodium fluoroacetate-jam baits, which are used for opossum control, was investigated to determine the reasons for reported honey bee kills. Honey bees were shown to feed readily on 1080-jam baits when they were presented outside their hives. There were no debilitating effects for up to 2 h after feeding on the baits, which allowed them to make up to four foraging trips to the baits and recruit additional foragers. Black strap molasses was shown to have a repellent effect on honey bees when mixed with the jam baits. Foragers were able to detect differences in concentration of as little as 5%. Twenty percent molasses was found to repel inexperienced foragers strongly; however, they could be trained to accept higher concentrations. Two percent oxalic acid (a component of molasses) was found to repel honey bees when added to 2M sugar syrup or jam baits. Molasses-jam baits and jam baits appeared to be equally attractive to opossums when tested in the field. These results suggest that molasses or oxalic acid may could be incorporated with 1080-jam baits to prevent honey bees feeding on them.

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