Bees and Pesticides

摘要: Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are the main pollinating agents for numerous plants and fruit trees hence, play a key role in agriculture more generally maintenance of ecological biodiversity. They mostly affected farm animals by pesticides. Indeed, pesticides work two ways to reduce bee populations. First, many used crop production highly toxic these social insects. Second, use herbicides can acreages useful activity. Pesticides damages honey colonies take different forms. may be poisoned when they feed on nectar or pollen contaminated Bees also fly through cloud pesticide dust spray walk treated parts plant. Sometimes, hives directly affected, but most commonly only field killed have their physiological functions altered. Toxicity hazards 158 Apis non-Apis well reviewed study Devillers et al. (2003). products image being natural, healthy clean. However, today produced environment, polluted sources contamination. The contamination roughly divided into environmental apicultural ones. Environmental contaminants pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria, GMO radioactivity, from beekeeping practice includes acaricides parasitic mites (mainly Varroa) control, repellents at harvest, wax moth small hive beetle control antibiotics against foul brood disease. There very few special residue limits honey, making it difficult discuss toxicological importance residues. makes minimal contribution acceptable daily intake (ADI) common insecticides that been examined European honeys include organochlorines, organophosphorous pesicides carbamates. In recent using 50 samples Spain Portugal, residues 42 were (Blasco al., 2003). Most found organochlorines. Among them, gamma-HCH was 50% frequently detected substance, followed HCB 32% other isomers HCH. values varied between 0,03 4,31 mg/kg, them bellow 0,5 mg/kg. several studies with no measurable above detection limit, which 0,005 0,050 (Bogdanov, 2006). Similar situation is Slovakia, monitoring 20 presence 14 showed detectable (see presentation). effect imidacloprid (known under name Gaucho) health controversial, even just honey. SUMMARY