Effects of sublethal dose of imidacloprid on honey bee responsiveness Apis mellifera

Imidacloprid is an insecticide from the family of the neonicotinoids that is widely used to control agricultural pests. Furthermore, this insecticide can affect beneficial insects such as honey bee (Apis mellifera). Since learning and memory play an important role in honey bee behavior and social communication, the aim of this study was to investigate the learning and memory of honey bees treated with sublethal dose of imidacloprid using the proboscis extension reflex method under controlled laboratory conditions. In this experiment, honey bee extends its proboscis in response to antennal stimulation with sucrose. Data from this study showed that the oral treatment of honey bees with this insecticide did not affect water consumption, uncontaminated syrup and water responsiveness. But it reduced olfactory and visual learning and memory performances, and responsiveness to various sucrose concentrations. Therefore, our results show that the changes made by sublethal dose of imidacloprid have affected honey bee's responsiveness, which ultimately reduced colony health.