Honey bee (Apis mellifera) free-flight choice experiments using neonicotinoid insecticides

Sublethal effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on bees, including the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, have been the focus of several recent, well-publicized studies. While many recent studies have addressed the sublethal effects of pesticides in honey bees, there have been very few that examine how and when honey bees come into contact with pesticides in their environment. In this study we provided honey bee hives with a choice between a sugar solution containing a neonicotinoid insecticide at a sub-lethal dose and without to explore preference or deterrence to along a range of concentrations.