Airborne metofluthrin, a pyrethroid repellent, does not impact foraging honey bees.

Abstract

Outdoor spatial mosquito repellents, such as mosquito coils or heating devices, release pyrethroid insecticides into the air to provide protection from mosquitoes within a defined area. This broadcast discharge of pyrethroids into the environment raises concern about the effect on non-target organisms. A previous study found that prallethrin discharged from a heating device did not affect honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) [Hymenoptera: Apidae] foraging or recruitment. In this second study, there was no significant difference in foraging frequency (our primary outcome), waggle dance propensity, or persistency in honey bees collecting sucrose solution between those exposed to metofluthrin from a different heating device and bees exposed to a non-metofluthrin control. One measure, waggle dance frequency, was higher in the metofluthrin treatment than the control but this outcome was likely a spurious result due to the small sample size. The small particle size of the emissions, averaging 4.43 µm, from the heated spatial repellent products, which remain airborne with little settling, may play an important role in the lack of effect found on honey bee foraging.