Protecting honey bees: safety testing for microbial pesticides

There is a wealth of regulatory guidance and guidelines driving the assessment of the environmental safety of plant protection products (PPPs), particularly when it comes to pollinators.

We test the effects of acute and chronic exposure, oral and contact toxicity, the effects on developing brood, conduct laboratory studies as well as tunnel and field trials. We use a wide variety of tools - from in vitro rearing of larvae to analytical chemistry – so by the time a product’s environmental safety is being assessed by regulators, they have the data they require.

Pollinator Ecotoxicology at Fera

Fera have an experienced pollinator ecotoxicology team whose capabilities range from standard laboratory studies through to the more complex, higher-tier studies designed to address specific risk assessment needs. We perform studies with both honey and bumble bees, and keep over 150 colonies of honey bees at our Sand Hutton site.

To help refine your risk assessment, Fera can undertake a range of higher tier cage, tunnel, or semi-field studies. Our capabilities include the Oomen Brood Feeding Study and the Honey Bee Brood Test under semi-field conditions (OECD GD 75).

Protecting honey bees: safety testing for microbial pesticides

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Pollinator Ecotoxicology at Fera