Beyond brood: the potential impacts of insect growth disruptors on the long-term health and performance of honey bee colonies

Abstract

Honey bees are valued pollinators of agricultural crops, and heavy losses reported by beekeepers have spurred efforts to identify causes. As social insects, threats to honey bees should be assessed by evaluating the effects of stress on the long-term health and productivity of the entire colony. Insect growth disruptors are a class of pesticides encountered by honey bees that target pathways involved in insect development, reproduction, and behavior, and they have been shown to affect critical aspects of all three in honey bees. Therefore, it is imperative that their risks to honey bees be thoroughly evaluated. This review describes the effects of insect growth disruptors on honey bees at the individual and colony levels, highlighting hazards associated with different chemistries, and addresses their potential impacts on the longevity of colonies. Finally, recommendations for the direction of future research to identify strategies to mitigate effects are prescribed.