Effects of Bt cry1Ah corn pollen on immature worker survival and development of Apis cerana cerana

The honey bee may be exposed to insecticidal proteins from transgenic plants via pollen. An assessment of the impact of such exposures on the honey bee is an essential part of the risk assessment process for transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn. The effects of dietary transgenic Bt corn pollen on honey bee immature workers of Apis cerana cerana were examined by feeding trials in colonies. Four- to six-day-old honey bee worker larvae were fed various pollens (cry1Ah corn pollen, regular corn pollen, mixed bee pollen and control) and then sampled to record their survival and development. There were no significant differences in capping rate, emergence rate and immature stage among treatments. Our studies suggest that cry1Ah corn pollen carries no risk for the survival and development of A. c. cerana immature workers.