Simulating the Effects of Pesticides on Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Colonies with BeePop+

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) employs a tiered process for assessing risks of pesticides to bees. model discussed in this paper focuses on honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). If are identified at the first tier based exposure and toxicity data individual adult larval bees, then effects evaluated higher-tier studies using bee colonies. Colony-level require large amounts resources (to conduct review) can yield complicated by inherent variability colonies, which influenced factors that cannot readily be controlled, including weather, pests, diseases, available forage, management practices. To better interpret these data, USEPA Department Agriculture (USDA) developed simulation model, BeePop+, assesses potential colony-level pesticides. Here, we describe population guidance, use, interpretation, development ecological risk assessment (Pop-GUIDE) framework, is conceptual framework evaluation models. Within context Pop-GUIDE, BeePop+ considered “realistic-precise” reflects colony response pesticide simulating many outcomes. This meets desired features needed use assessments as its required inputs typically available, it applicable different locations, outputs both relevant USEPA’s protection goals consistent with outcomes empirical studies. has also been data; however, additional other may still done future prior completing implementation.