Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) "honey bee" and its use as a bioindicator for the risk evaluation for pesticides

Pollinators are crucial in the functioning of almost all terrestrial ecosystems including agroecosystems. Many insecticides are toxic to domestic bees in oral and contact tests. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the impact of pesticides on the honey bee Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Five synthetic pesticides were used, two formulated (chlorpyrifos and fenthion) and three technical grades (kresoxim-methyl, lufenuron and pendimetalin) on acute oral and contact toxicity at 48 h of exposure following international standardized guidelines. The dose-response relationship was verified through the probit analysis. The Oral and Contact Risk Quotient (QH) was greater than 50 for the evaluation of risk by pesticides only for fenthion and chlorpyrifos, which indicated a high risk in the honeybee. Kresoxim-methyl, lufenuron and pendimethalin did not cause the honey bee risk because they presented values of risk ratio less than 50. It is not recommended to use fenthion and chlorpyrifos when the pollinating activity of bees is high in the agricultural crop.