Synergism between EBI fungicides and a pyrethroid insecticide in the honeybee (Apis mellifera)

The synergistic effect of a range of ergosterol-biosynthesis-inhibiting (EBI) fungicides and a pyrethroid insecticide was studied in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). Various EBI fungicides were combined separately with the pyrethroid lambda-cyhalothrin at ratios derived from their recommended application rates to represent tank-mixing in the field. The mixture was then applied topically to the thorax of honeybees, and mortality assessed 24 h post-treatment. All the fungicides tested increased the toxicity of lambda-cyhalothrin to honeybees. The fungicide propiconazole was found to have the strongest synergistic effect, decreasing the LD₅₀ of lambda-cyalothrin from 68.0 ng bee^?1 to 4.2 ng, thus having a synergistic ratio of 16.2. Hazard ratios were calculated for lambda-cyhalothrin and fungicide mixtures using a recommended application rate of 7.5 g a.i. ha^?1. The hazard ratio for lambda-cyhalothrin alone was 110, but when mixed with fungicide synergists, the hazard ratio ranged from 366 with flutriafol to 1786 with propiconazole. A blank formulation of a fungicide (without the active ingredient prochloraz) had little effect on the toxicity of lambda-cyhalothrin, indicating that it is primarily the fungicide active ingredient that is responsible for the synergistic effect. The results are discussed in terms of the potential hazard posed by pesticide synergism to honeybees in the field.