According to recent lab tests at Texas A&M University, iprodione, which is a fungicide used to keep almond trees fungus free significantly diminishes the survivability rate of western honey bees, Apis mellifera, the world's most common honey bee species. This puts almond growers in a difficult spot as the bees are the trees main pollinator.
"Given that these fungicides may be applied when honey bees are present in almond orchards, our findings suggest that bees may face significant danger from chemical applications even when responsibly applied," Dr. Juliana Rangel, assistant professor of apiculture in Texas A&M's entomology department, said in a news release.
"Our results may help to encourage discussions on altering spraying regimes or perhaps finding different ways to apply chemicals in such a manner that takes the biology and behavior of pollinators into account," added Adrian Fisher II, a doctoral student in Rangel's lab.
