D3038: (2nd Place) Multi stressor impacts on honey bee physiology and gut microbiome

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are the major insect pollinators of many different crops. A drastic decline in the honey bee populations has been reported over the past decade. While many factors have contributed to this decline, pesticides, poor nutrition, and Varroa mites are the most common concerns noted by scientists and beekeepers. Aside from direct toxicity from pesticides, it has been observed that sublethal pesticide doses have effects on honey bee physiology and behavior such as oxidative stress, disruption of foraging and homing, olfactory inhibition and changes to honey bee neurophysiology. In addition, poor nutrition makes honey bees more susceptible to pesticide stress, parasites and pathogens and disrupts their ability to overwinter. The primary objective of this study is to examine the impacts of field realistic pesticide exposures and poor nutrition on honey bee gut microbiome diversity and individual bee physiology. For this study, 16 honey bee colonies were placed in each of the four different locations across Mississippi along an agricultural intensification gradient and with varying degrees of natural forage availability. Pollen and nectar samples have been collected from these field sites to analyze for pesticides residues. In addition, live honey bees have been sampled for physiological assays and gut microbiome analysis. The experiment is currently ongoing and the information gleaned from the results will reveal valuable insight about the interactions between these two stressors and their impacts on honey bees under field conditions.