Queen bees transfer toxins to their eggs for self-protection.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) have discovered that honeybee queens exposed to pesticides can transfer some of this contamination to their eggs to enhance their survival. This study, published in Current Biology, was conducted in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) to investigate pesticide effects on bee colonies. Unlike prior studies, this research specifically examined the queen, her ovaries, eggs, and wax.