Nutrition and immune responses of honey bees exposed to pesticides

The decline of honey bees, Apis mellifera L., is a nationally-recognized problem that demands attention from both the scientific community and beekeeping industry.  The pesticides tau-fluvalinate (pyrethroid miticide), coumaphos (organophosphate miticide), and chlorothalonil (organochlorine fungicide) are commonly found in bee hives throughout the United States. These pesticides are implicated in bee decline; however, knowledge of the consequences of these pesticides and their relationship to bee health is limited.  In this study, we will report: 1) the nutrition and immune status of bees exposed to tau-fluvalinate, coumaphos and chlorothalonil and 2) predictive models of bee health thresholds that will improve management practices for colony health and reduce colony losses for the beekeeping industry.