Efeito residual de Imidacloprido + Beta-Ciflutrina na sobrevivência da capacidade de voo de Apis mellifera.

Abstract

The bee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is essential for many crops, but despite its importance, a decline in these insects has been observed in recent years in agricultural areas in different regions of the world, with the abusive use of pesticides being the main factor pointed out. for this disappearance. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the lethal and sublethal effect of the insecticide Imidacloprid + Beta- cyfluthrin on A. mellifera, through residual contact in melon leaves. The experiment was carried out at the Entomology Laboratory of the Agro-Food Science and Technology Center (CCTA) of the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Campus Pombal- PB. For the accomplishment of the work, adult workers of A. mellifera from 05 hives belonging to the CCTA/UFCG apiary were used. The insecticide Imidacloprid + Beta- cyfluthrin was evaluated at the minimum (500 mL/ha), intermediate (750 mL/ha) and maximum (1000 mL/ha) doses recommended by the manufacturer, using distilled water as an absolute control and the insecticide Thiamethoxam as the positive witness. After the application of the treatments, the mortality and the behavior of the bees were evaluated at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12 and 24 hours after the beginning of the exposure to insecticides, as well as the flight capacity of the bees that survived after 24 hours of exposure. It was observed that the insecticide Imidacloprid + Beta-cyfluthrin on A. mellifera, via residual contact, caused mortality of 35%, 39% and 39% for the minimum, intermediate and maximum doses, respectively, with a LT50 of 57.46h, showing that if toxic to bees. In addition, Imidacloprid + Beta-Cyfluthrin negatively affected the bees' motor function, causing tremors, prostration and paralysis, thus reducing the ability of these insects to fly.