Apidologie 22 (1991) 1-7
DOI: 10.1051/apido:19910101

Fluvalinate treatment of queen and worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L) and effects on subsequent mortality, queen acceptance and supersedure

J.S. Pettis^a, W.T. Wilson^a, H. Shimanuki^b and P.D. Teel<sup>c

a</sup>  USDA, ARS, Honey Bee Research Unit, 2413 East Highway 83, Weslaco, TX 78596, USA
^b  USDA, ARS, Beneficial Insects Laboratory, Bldg 476, BARC-East, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
^c  Dept of Entomology, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA

Abstract - Three experiments were conducted on queen and worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L) to assess effects of treatment with fluvalinate impregnated (Apistan^®) strips. A 5-d treatment of worker bees (weighing 1.4 kg per group) in screen packages with a fluvalinate strip (2.5% a i, 2.5 x 13 cm) did not increase mortality. Overwintered laying queens (n = 30), and newly mated queens (n = 60) were treated in Benton mailing cages for 5 d with fluvalinate (Apistan Queen Tabs, 1% a i, 2.5 x 1.3 cm). All queen mortality occurred on d 4 and 5 of the treatment period, which is beyond the recommended 3-d-treatment. Neither group of treated queens exhibited a significant increase in mortality. However, attendant worker bees in the second trial exhibited a significant increase in mortality during treatment. No differences were observed in colony acceptance of queens, brood viability, or supersedure rates at 2 and 6 months post-exposure.

Key words: Apis mellifera / acaricide / fluvalinate / side-effect / mortality