Honeybee Acute Contact Toxicity Test (OECD TG 214)
The Honeybee Acute Contact Toxicity Test according to OECD TG 214 is designed to evaluate the short-term toxic effects of chemicals on adult honeybees (Apis mellifera) via direct topical exposure. This test provides critical data for assessing potential risks to pollinators, which are essential for ecosystem stability and crop production.
In this study, adult worker bees are individually exposed to a range of concentrations of the test substance applied directly to the dorsal thorax under controlled laboratory conditions. Observations are conducted over a 48-hour period to monitor mortality and behavioral changes, such as abnormal movement or grooming activity.
The primary endpoint is mortality, which is used to calculate the median lethal dose (LD₅₀) or concentration (LC₅₀) that causes death in 50% of the test organisms. Sublethal effects may also be recorded to provide additional insight into chemical impacts on bee health.
This test is an essential component of pollinator risk assessment and supports regulatory evaluation of plant protection products and other chemicals with potential exposure to honeybees.
