Simulating Honey Bee Large‐Scale Colony Feeding Studies Using the BEEHAVE Model—Part II: Analysis of Overwintering Outcomes

Large‐scale colony feeding studies (LSCFSs) aim to assess potential pesticide exposure to and effects on honey bees at the colony level. However, these studies are sometimes affected by high losses of control colonies, indicating that other stressors may impact colonies and confound the analysis of potential pesticide impacts. We assessed the study design and environmental conditions experienced by the untreated control colonies across 7 LSCFSs conducted in North Carolina (USA). Overwintering success differed considerably among the studies, as did their initial colony conditions, amount and timing of sugar feeding, landscape composition, and weather. To assess the effects of these drivers on control colonies' overwintering success, we applied the mechanistic colony model BEEHAVE. Sugar feedings and initial status of the simulated colonies were more important for fall colony condition than were landscape and weather. Colonies that had larger colony sizes and honey stores in the fall were those that began with larger honey stores, were provided more sugar, and had supplemental feedings before the fall. This information can be used to inform the standardization of a study design, which can increase the likelihood of overwintering survival of controls and help ensure that LSCFSs are comparable. Our study demonstrates how a mechanistic model can be used to inform study designs for higher tier effects studies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2286–2297. © 2020 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.