Selectivity of the botanical compounds to the pollinators Apis mellifera and Trigona hyalinata (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The toxicity of essential oils that can be used in insect pest management to pollinators needs further studies. Apis mellifera Linnaeus and Trigona hyalinata (Lepeletier) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) foragers were exposed by three pathways to ginger, mint, oregano and thyme essential oils to provide their LC 50, LD 50 and LC 90, LD 90 . Oregano and thyme were more toxic through contact and topically for A . mellifera while the toxicity of mint and ginger was lower. Trigona hyalinata was more tolerant to the essential oils than A . mellifera . In the walking test, the area was treated (totally or partially) with sub-doses (LC 50 ) obtained via contact. The area fully treated with oregano reduced the distance traveled and the movement speed increased the number of stops by A . mellifera . Similar results were observed for T . hyalinata with oregano and thyme oils. Apis mellifera showed irritability remaining shorter time in the area partially treated with ginger, mint and thyme essential oils while T . hyalinata had similar behavior with ginger and thyme. Essential oils did not repel A . mellifera or T . hyalinata , but those of ginger, mint and thyme reduced the time spent by A . mellifera in areas treated with sublethal doses. Oregano and thyme essential oils reduced the survival, mainly, of A . mellifera , while ginger and mint were selective for both pollinators.