Honey bee colonies were placed in several agricultural regions across Canada. The nectar and bee bread of the colonies were tested for a panel of over 200 pesticides throughout the growing seasons of 2020 and 2021. Here we provide a summary of common pesticides detected based on a preliminary analysis of the data.
In the South Coast region of British Columbia, honey bee colonies in cranberry, highbush blueberry crops and control sites were assessed. Two fungicides, fluopyram and pyrimethanil, and the insecticide flupyradifurone were commonly found in colonies. Other compounds detected include: 7 fungicides (boscalid, difenoconazole, dimethomorph, fenhexamid, mandipropamid, metconazole, and pyraclostrobin), 5 herbicides (diuron, linuron, mefenacet, napropamide, and tralkoxydim), 11 insecticides (acetamiprid, chlorantraniliprole, clothianidin, dimethoate, flonicamid, imidacloprid, methoxyfenozide, novaluron, omethoate, spirotetramat, and thiamethoxam), and 2 acaricides (coumaphos and methomyl).
In the Peace and South regions of Alberta, honey bee colonies in canola oil, canola seed crops, and control sites were assessed. Two neonicotinoid insecticides, thiamethoxam and clothianidin, and the fungicide boscalid were most common in colonies. Other compounds detected include: 9 fungicides (difenoconazole, fenamidone, fluopyram, mandipropamid, metconazole, picoxystrobin, prothioconazole, pyraclostrobin, pyrimethanil), 1 herbicide (tralkoxydim), 6 insecticides (chlorantraniliprole, dimethoate, flupyradifurone, imidacloprid, omethoate, spirotetramat), and 1 acaricide (coumaphos).
In the Eastman and Central Plains regions of Manitoba, honey bee colonies in canola oil, soybean crops, and control sites were assessed. Two fungicides, boscalid and thiophanate-methyl, and the insecticide chlorantraniliprole were most common in colonies. Other compounds detected include: 5 fungicides (carbendazim, metconazole, picoxystrobin, prothioconazole, and pyraclostrobin), 5 insecticides (carbaryl, clothianidin, dimethoate, omethoate, thiamethoxam), and 1 acaricide (coumaphos).
In the Central and Southwestern regions of Ontario, honey bee colonies in corn crops and control sites were assessed. Three insecticides, chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, and clothianidin were most common in colonies. Other compounds detected include: 4 fungicides (boscalid, mandipropamid, picoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin), 1 herbicide (napropamide), 4 insecticides (chlorantraniliprole, clothianidin, cyantraniliprole, and spinetoram), and 1 acaricide (coumaphos).
In the Centre-du-Québec and Capitale-Nationale regions of Québec, honey bee colonies in cranberry, lowbush blueberry, apple crops, and control sites were assessed. The insecticide chlorantraniliprole, and the acaricide coumaphos were most common in colonies. Other compounds detected include: 7 fungicides (boscalid, difenoconazole, fenhexamid, fluopyram, picoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, pyrimethanil), 2 herbicides (linuron and mefenacet), 1 acaricide (bifenazate), and 9 insecticides (clothianidin, cyantraniliprole, imidacloprid, methoxyfenozide, spinetoram, spinosyn A and D, tebufenozide, thiamethoxam).
A full analysis of the pesticide levels and their potential impact on honey bee health will be published by the BeeCSI team in the future.
