Sublethal Imidacloprid Administration to Honey Bee Workers is More Lethal to the Queen Larvae.

This article investigates the effects of sublethal exposure to imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, on the development and gene expression of Apis mellifera (honey bee) queen larvae. Larvae fed royal jelly containing 1 part per billion (ppb) imidacloprid for three consecutive days exhibited significantly lower capping and emergence rates compared to controls, indicating impaired queen rearing and survival. Transcriptomic analysis of newly emerged queens revealed 216 differentially expressed genes, with upregulation of chitin binding–related genes and downregulation of genes involved in phototransduction and visual perception, suggesting potential impacts on queen physiology and sensory functions. The findings highlight that even low-level imidacloprid exposure during the larval stage can adversely affect queen bee survival and molecular pathways critical for colony health.