OECDs 213/14 Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), Acute Toxicity Tests and OECDs 246/247 Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Acute Toxicity Tests

Acute oral and contact toxicity assessments are required when environmental exposure of bees or bumblebees to a specific chemical is likely. The studies determine the inherent toxicity of pesticides and other chemical substances to honeybees and bumblebees.

Results from these laboratory tests serve as the foundation for step-wise risk assessment programs, dictating whether further evaluation is needed as testing progresses from laboratory conditions to semi-field and field experiments.

Adult worker honeybees/bumblebees are exposed to a range of doses of the test substance dispersed in sucrose solution or in appropriate carrier, by direct application to the thorax (droplets). The duration of the test is standard 48h (extendable up to 96 hours if mortality continues to rise).

The test is designed for the determination of the following endpoints:
🔹 LD50 (median Lethal Dose) at 24 and 48h, and in case the study is prolonged at 72h and 96h.
🔹 NOED (No Observed Effect Dose), where possible.
🔹 Sublethal effects (daily behavioral abnormalities).

Thank to our in-house apiary (for bees), we benefit from a continuous and plentiful supply of organisms (from March to October), ensuring reliable timelines and robust data for your regulatory dossiers. Slots for OECD 213/214 or/and 246/247 testing fill up quickly. Contact our team today to secure your study schedule !

Contact our team now: Giampiero Flaminio | Celia Bastiani | Lindsay Knight | Alexandre BAYLET | Aymeric Bellemain | Florence DELVAL | Grégory BOILEAU

Next week we will talk about : OECD 255 Bumblebee (Bombus spp.), Chronic Oral Toxicity Test (10-day Feeding)