Toxicidade para as abelhas Apis mellifera L. de um produto comercial de inseticida

Abstract

Bees stand out among the existing pollinator species as they play a fundamental role in the maintenance of ecosystems and food production. The species Apis mellifera Linneaus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is one of the most used for pollination in cultivated areas, due to its easy handling, generalist profile in the search for resources and size of colonies. However, the abusive use of phytosanitary products, especially pesticides, has caused a great decline in the population of these pollinators in several agricultural areas. The present study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of a commercial product with the active ingredient chlorfenapyr, Pirate® (BASF S.A, São Paulo), in Apis mellifera bees. Field bees were collected in the apiary of the Bee Sector of the Zootechnics Department of the Federal University of Ceará, Campus do Pici and taken to the Bee Laboratory. The international method recommended by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) 1998a, developed for Apis mellifera, was used to determine the mean topical lethal dose in 24 h (LD50). The commercial product with the active ingredient of chlorfenapyr was diluted in distilled water until the doses to be tested were obtained (0.5 nL pc/μL, 1 nL pc/μL, 2 .5 nL pc/μL, 5 nL pc/μL, 7.5 nL pc/μL, 20 nL pc/μL, 40 nL pc/μL, 60 nL pc/μL). Notes were made of live and dead bees 24 hours after contact with the insecticide and the data were submitted to dose-response statistical analysis, using the POLO Plus software. Topical LD50 for the commercial product was 0.79 nL p.c./μL/bee in 24 hours. The commercial product Pirate® is highly toxic, even at the lowest doses, proving to be more toxic than studies performed with the active ingredient chlorfenapyr.