Overview of Non-Apis Bees

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are frequently employed in pesticide toxicity testing either as a representative species (i.e., surrogate) for pollinating insects (such as in the European Union (EU)) or in other cases to represent other non-target terrestrial invertebrates. Bees exhibit a wide range of social behaviors, but depending on their interdependency, bees can be broadly divided into two groups: social or solitary. Most of the non-Apis bee toxicity testing conducted in Europe has been on bumble bees, and in particular Bombus terrestris, which is the main species used for commercial pollination. It is clear that non-Apis bees play an important role in supporting diverse plant communities, and an increasingly important role in agriculture. They differ from honey bees in their biological characteristics, which consequently may make them subject to unique exposure routes, as well as unique challenges when it comes to risk management.