Honey bees are biological indicators, picking up chemicals and other pollutants from their environment both external and internal to their hives. Findings suggest that one of the underlying commonalities in the worldwide reports of a decline in honey bee health and observations of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) may be exposure of honey bees and bee products to pesticides.

The first study to demonstrate the sub-lethal effects on worker honey bees from pesticide residue exposure from contaminated brood comb has been published in the open-access online journal PLoS ONE.  The study conducted by Judy Wu, Carol Anelli and Steve Sheppard, WSU, can be read in its entirety here.