The work related to bees and pollinators is conducted into two areas: Pesticides and Test Guidelines overseen respectively by the Working Group on Pesticides (WGP) and the Working Group of National Coordinators of the Test Guidelines Programme (WNT).  It consists of:

• Laws, Policies and Guidance relevant to management of risk to pollinators: Links are maintained to OECD member country laws, policies and guidance relating to pesticides and risk management tools for insect pollinators, including precautionary labelling, use restrictions, technologies, training materials, Best Management Practices (BMP) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices currently used by OECD countries to mitigate the risk of pesticides to insect pollinators.

   

• Test Guidelines and Guidance Documents:

Six OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals have been developed and are publically available:

• Test No. 247: Bumblebee, Acute Oral Toxicity Test adopted on 9 October 2017
• Test No. 246: Bumblebee, Acute Contact Toxicity Test adopted on 9 October 2017
• Test No. 245: Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera L.), Chronic Oral Toxicity Test (10-Day Feeding) adopted on 9 October 2017

• Test Guideline No. 237: Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Larval Toxicity Test, Single Exposure adopted on 26th July 2013:
• Test Guideline No. 214: Honeybees, Acute Contact Toxicity Test adopted on 21st September 1998
• Test Guideline No. 213: Honeybees, Acute Oral Toxicity Test adopted on 21st September 1998
  

Three Guidance documents in the Series on Testing and Assessment have been developed and are publically available:

• Guidance document No. 332: Guidance Document on Honey Bee Homing Flight Test, using single oral exposure to sub-lethal doses of test chemical, published in 2021
• Guidance document No. 239: Guidance Document on Honey Bee Larval Toxicity Test following Repeated Exposure, published in 2016
• Guidance document No. 75, Guidance Document on Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Brood Test under Semi-field Conditions, published in August 2007 in the series on Testing and Assessment.

Testing Requirements and Risk Assessment Priorities have been ranked based on the analysis of need and feasibility. Need is determined by the policy and (current and future) regulatory requirements.

Feasibility is determined by a number of elements like: can the proposed test be easily conducted? Is there already someone working on this test method? Are there available data obtained by using the proposed test method? Will adequate methodology be available soon? Is there a need for further research before envisaging such a test?

The following activities have been given high priority for both need and feasibility:

• Laboratory toxicity test on developmental stages of honeybee: larvae, pupae and adult emergence;
• Honeybee tunnel test under semi-field conditions;
• Estimation of level of residues in pollen and nectar by calculation based on the application rate;
• Risk assessment schemes for adult and larvae honeybee, bumble bees and solitary bees, for sprayed products, soil and seed treatments;
• Uncertainties in the risk assessment; and
• Laboratory acute contact toxicity test on adults of solitary non-Apis bee species.

These priorities are in line with the work undertaken under the auspices of the International Commission for Pollinator Plant Relationship (ICPPR) and in particular its Bee Protection Group.

Based on the above priorities, the following activity is currently underway:

• Development of an acute contact toxicity test for the solitary living Mason Bee (Osmia spp.).
• Development of acute contact and acute oral toxicity tests for the bumblebee (Bombus terrestris).

Note: Information related to the current ring tests is provided to experts nominated by the OECD member countries.