Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Contaminated with Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Multiple pesticides were simultaneously present in dead honey bees, Apis mellifera L., or in brood comb in 28 of 55 poisoned apiaries in Connecticut in 1983–85. Methyl parathion (Penncap-M), carbaryl, and endosulfan were each detected in 34, 33, and 13 of the apiaries, respectively. Less frequently detected pesticides were methomyl, chlordane, diazinon, captan, and malathion. Health of colonies poisoned with methyl parathion only or methyl parathion in combination with other insecticides was often severely affected (141 of 168 poisoned colonies were either killed or weakened), whereas colonies affected by carbaryl only or carbaryl plus insecticides other than methyl parathion often recovered (16 of 79 poisoned colonies were either killed or weakened). One-half of the poisonings occurred in July. Aroclor 1248 and 1260 (polychlorinated biphenyls) were detected in dead bees, brood comb, honey comb, or honey. Environmental sources of these chlorinated hydrocarbons are unknown. Detectable quantities of polychlorinated biphenyls ≥0.80 ppm were in 4 of 71 honey samples.