Short communication. First field assessment of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki aerial application on the colony performance of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
Abstract
Honeybee populations around the world are experiencing a decrease in colony numbers probably due to a combination of different causes, such as diseases, poor nutrition and frequent applications of insecticides to control pests. Previous studies about the effect of pesticide Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (Btk) on Apis mellifera L. report different results. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of field aerial applications of Btk on bee colony performance, specifically on the brood cell percentage evolution, which can be used as an indicator of queen health and brood development breeding rates. To achieve it, the brood cell surface was photographed in every sampling, and data were analyzed using a method based on image treatment software. A total of 480 pictures were examined from two groups of four nucleus hives in two areas, one receiving aerial spraying with Btk and the other without treatment. A mixed factorial design was realized to analyse the data showing no differences in colony performance between the two groups of colonies either before the treatment, during and at the end of the assay. Furthermore, the brood surface ratio of Btk-treated/untreated increased along the experiment. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that Btk aerial applications did not affect the brood development of honeybees under natural conditions. Nevertheless further field studies are required to ascertain a safe use of Btk in forest pest management.
Downloads
References
Addison PJ, Barker GM, 2006. Effect of various pesticides on the non-target species Microctonus hyperodae, a biological control agent of Listronotus bonariensis. Entomol Exp Appl 119 (1): 71-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2006.00392.x
Babendreier D, Kalberer NM, Romeis J, Fluri P, Mulligan E, Bigler F, 2005. Influence of Bt-transgenic pollen, Bt-toxin and protease inhibitor (SBTI) ingestion on development of the hypopharyngeal glands in honeybees. Apidologie 36: 585-594. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/apido:2005049
Boulton TJ, 2004. Responses of nontarget lepidoptera to foray 48B Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Environ Toxicol Chem 23 (5): 1297-1304. http://dx.doi.org/10.1897/03-88
Brighenti DM, Carvalho CF, Andrade G, Brighenti CRG, Malfitano S, 2007. Bioactivity of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Berliner, 1915) to adults of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Ciênc Agrotec Lavras 31 (2): 279-289. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-70542007000200003
Cox-Foster D, VanEngelsdorp D, 2009. Saving the honeybee. Sci Am 300 (4): 40-47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0409-40
Dai P, Zhou W, Zhang J, Cui HJ, Wang Q, Jiang WY, Sun JH, Wu YY, Zhou T, 2012. Field assessment of Bt cry1Ah corn pollen on the survival, development and behavior of Apis mellifera ligustica. Ecotoxicol Environ Safety 79: 232-237. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2012.01.005
Duan JJ, Marvier M, Huesing J, Dively G, Huang ZY, 2008. A meta-analysis of effects of Bt crops on honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). PLoS ONE 3(1): e1415. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0001415
Flores JM, Ruíz JA, Ruz JM, Puerta F, Campano F, Padilla F, Bustos M, 1998. Cría controlada de abejas reinas de Apis mellifera ibérica. Arch Zootec 47: 347-350.
Green RH, 1979. Sampling design and statistical methods for environmental biologists. John Wiley & Sons, NY, USA. 257 pp.
Hanley AV, Huang ZY, Pett WL, 2003. Effects of dietary transgenic Bt corn pollen on larvae of Apis mellifera and Galleria mellonella. J Apic Res 42: 77-81.
Higes M, Martin-Hernandez R, Martinez-Salvador A, Garrido-Bailon E, Virginia Gonzalez-Porto A, Meana A, Luis Bernal J, del Nozal M, Bernal J, 2010. A preliminary study of the epidemiological factors related to honey bee colony loss in Spain. Environ Microbiol 2 (2): 243-250. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-2229.2009.00099.x
Klein AM, Vaissière BE, Steffan-Dewenter I, Cunningham SA, Kremen C, Tscharntke T, 2007. Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops. Proc Roy Soc B 274: 303-313. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3721
Malone LA, Pham-Delègue MH, 2001. Effects of transgene products on honey bees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus sp.). Apidologie 32: 1-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/apido:2001130
Malone LA, Todd JH, Burgess EPJ, Christeller JT, 2004. Development of hypopharyngeal glands in adult honey bees fed with a Bt toxin, a biotin-binding protein and a protease inhibitor. Apidologie 35: 655-664. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/apido:2004063
Miranda JE, Navickiene HMD, Nogueira-Couto RH, De Bortoli SA, Kato MJ, Bolzani VS, Furlan M, 2003. Susceptibility of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to pellitorine, an amide isolated from Piper tuberculatum (Piperaceae). Apidologie 34: 409-415. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/apido:2003036
Mommaerts V, Reynders S, Boulet J, Besard L, Sterk G, Smagghe G, 2010. Impact of Bacillus thuringiensis strains on survival, reproduction and foraging behaviour in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris). Pest Manag Sci 66: 520-525. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ps.1902
Morse, RA, Calderone NW, 2000. The value of honey bees as pollinators of U.S. crops in 2000. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Available in http://www.beeculture.com/content/pollinationreprint07.pdf. [15 May 2014].
Neumann P, Carreck NL, 2010. Honey bee colony losses. J Apic Res 49: 1-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.3896/IBRA.1.49.1.01
O'Callaghan M, Glare TR, Burgess EPJ, Malone LA, 2005. Effects of plants genetically modified for insect resistance on nontarget organisms. Annu Rev Entomol 50: 271. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.50.071803.130352
Pohorecka K, Bober A, Skubida M, Zdanska D, 2011. Epizootic status of apiaries with massive losses of bee colonies (2008-2009). J Apic Sci 55(1): 137-150.
Porcar M, Gómez F, Gruppe A, Gómez-Pajuelo A, Segura I, Schrödere R, 2008. Hymenopteran specificity of Bacillus thuringiensis strain PS86Q3. Biol Control 45 (3): 427-432. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2008.02.002
Ramirez-Romero R, Chaufaux J, Pham-Delègue MH, 2005. Effects of Cry1Ab protoxin, deltamethrin and imidacloprid on the foraging activity and the learning performances of the honeybee Apis mellifera, a comparative approach. Apidologie 36: 601-611. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/apido:2005039
Rose R, Dively GP, Pettis J, 2007. Effects of Bt corn pollen on honey bees: emphasis on protocol development. Apidologie 38: 368-377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/apido:2007022
Sopuck L, Ovaska K, Whittington B, 2002. Responses of songbirds to aerial spraying of the microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Foray 48B (R)) on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Environ Toxicol Chem 21(8): 1664-1672. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620210818
Underwood R, vanEngelsdorp D, 2007. Colony collapse disorder: have we seen this before? Bee Cult 135: 13-18.
VanEngelsdorp D, Evans JD, Saegerman C, Mullin C, Haubruge E, Nguyen BK, Frazier M, Frazier J, Cox-Foster D, Chen YP, Underwood R, Tarpy DR, Pettis JS, 2009. Colony collapse disorder: a descriptive study. PLOS ONE 4(8): e6481. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0006481
© CSIC. Manuscripts published in both the printed and online versions of this Journal are the property of Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, and quoting this source is a requirement for any partial or full reproduction.
All contents of this electronic edition, except where otherwise noted, are distributed under a “Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International” (CC BY 4.0) License. You may read here the basic information and the legal text of the license. The indication of the CC BY 4.0 License must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Self-archiving in repositories, personal webpages or similar, of any version other than the published by the Editor, is not allowed.
