Fipronil toxicity on different stages of Indian Honey Bee, (Apis cerana indica)

The insecticide fipronil has previously been identified as a chemical of concern for European bees (Apis mellifera), yet its impact on the Indian species (Apis cerana indica) remains largely unexplored. This study evaluated the in vitro toxicity of fipronil (>95% purity) on Indian honey bees at Apiculture laboratory of the Department of Entomology, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry. The toxicity were assessed by subjecting healthy worker bees to different concentrations of fipronil through both topical and oral bioassays. The results indicated an LD₅₀ value of 0.11 μg per larvae. In the oral test, adult worker bees had an LD₅₀ of 0.046 μg per bee, while contact toxicity revealed an LD₅₀ of 0.006 μg per bee.