Effects of pesticides on bee populations and safety of bee honey in Ukraine

Abstract

To prevent pest contamination of crops, they are treated with plant defense agents, the action of which is aimed at the destruction or development and reproduction control of hazardous organisms. But also these chemical agents cause pollution of environmental ecosystems. Furthermore, the use of pesticides on honey bees often leads to mass mortality of the bees and contamination of nectar and pollen. Honey, made by the bees of such nectar, may contain pesticide residues that are toxic to a bee brood and harm the viability and productivity of bee colonies. One hundred seventy-two samples of bee honey and 40 samples of dead bees were studied from different regions of Ukraine. Eight hundred thirty-seven bee colonies died from pesticide poisoning of the honey bees in 2021. The bees most died due to thiamethoxam (523 bee colonies), clothianidin 400 (bee colonies), and lambda-cyhalothrin (342 bee colonies). In 2022, the poisoning of the honey bees, from which 1,130 bee colonies died, was caused by seven insecticides. Lambda-cyhalothrin (653 bee colonies), thiamethoxam (352 bee colonies), imidacloprid (342 bee colonies), clothianidin (325 bee colonies), and acetamiprid (320 bee colonies) were most frequently detected. 11 insecticides, 11 fungicides and 2 each of acaricides and herbicides were found in the honey. There were 425 detection cases of insecticides, 285 fungicides, 8 acaricides, and 3 herbicides. In 2021-2022, 16 insecticides of the 3rd toxicity class were found in the dead bees.