Bees and pesticides: the research impact and scientometrics relations.

Bees are fundamental insects in agroecosystems, mainly due to pollination. However, its decline has been observed in recent years, and the contamination by pesticides is suspected to be responsible. This relationship is the objective of our research, which is the first scientometric study on this subject.

Is glyphosate toxic to bees? A meta-analytical review.

Glyphosate (GLY) is an herbicide widely used in agriculture. First considered as non-toxic or slightly toxic to bees, GLY and its different formulations have shown, more recently, to affect negatively the survival, development and behavior of these insects, even when used in doses and concentrations recommended by the manufacturer. Thus, the results of research on the toxicity of GLY to bees are often conflicting, which makes a meta-analysis interesting for data integration, generating a statistically reliable result.

Possible interference of Bacillus thuringiensis in the survival and behavior of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera).

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), an entomopathogenic bacterium, has been used as bioinsecticides for insect pest control worldwide. Consequently, the objective of this work was to evaluate the possible effects of commercial formulations of Bt products, Dipel and Xentari, on the survival and behavior of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera). Bioassays were performed on foragers and newly emerged (24-h-old) bees that received the products mixed in the food.