The effect of pymetrozine (Plenum WG-50®) on proboscis extension conditioning in honey bees (Apis mellifera: Hybrid var. Buckfast)

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety 2012-04, Vol.78, p.287-295
• Main Authors: Abramson, Charles I., Sokolowski, Michel B.C., Brown, Erika A., Pilard, Serge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Apiculture; Apis mellifera; Applied ecology; Bees - drug effects; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Conditioning (Psychology) - drug effects; drinking; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; experimental design; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Honey bees; hybrids; Insecta; Insecticides - toxicity; Invertebrates; Learning - drug effects; Plenum WG-50; proboscis; Proboscis conditioning; Pymetrozine; sucrose; Sucrose - pharmacology; Terrestrial animal productions; Triazines - toxicity
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2011.11.038

Experiments are designed to examine the effects of pymetrozine (Plenum WG-50®), a recent systemic pesticide of the pyridine-azomethin family, on Pavlovian conditioning of harnessed foragers. In one set of experiments bees learned a task in which they associated a conditioned stimulus with feeding. A second set of experiments required the bees to learn a discrimination task. Within each experiment, bees received 5μl of sucrose only, the recommended field dose of Plenum® (5μL of .3gL−1, .16gL−1 of pymetrozine measured), or 100 times the field dose of Plenum® WG 50 thirty minutes prior to training (5μL of 30gL−1, 14gL−1 of pymetrozine measured). The Plenum® WG 50 was diluted with .88M sucrose to facilitate the drinking of the pesticide. In addition to varying the concentration, we also investigated the effect of Plenum® WG 50 on bees confined to an observation hive and a hive located outside. The results indicated that prior exposure to Plenum® WG 50 affected Pavlovian conditioning only when bees were exposed to 100 times the recommended dosage. ► We study the effects of pymetrozine on Pavlovian conditioning of honeybees. ► We examine learning of harnessed foragers in both simple and complex learning. ► Pymetrozine at recommended amounts do not influence learning. ► Pymetrozine at 100× recommended amounts influence learning. ► Effect of pymetrozine on honey bee learning depends on the concentration.