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200491 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.200491 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2025-05 16 pages Smalley, Rebecca Fisher II, Adrian Harrison, Jon Barrett, The Honors College School of Life Sciences Educational Leadership & Innovation, Division The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is important for agricultural production and maintenance. Agroecosystems are maintained by applying pesticides to protect crops from pests and pathogens. However, several pesticides have been shown to adversely affect non-target pollinators, including honey bees. Among pesticides, fungicides may be particularly dangerous for pollinators as they are applied during crop bloom. The widely used fungicide formulation Pristine® (ai: boscalid, pyraclostrobin) reduces colony size by impairing worker cognition and reducing lifespan. Despite the pronounced effects of exposure on honey bee workers, the direct impact of Pristine® on honey bee reproductives is poorly understood. To assess the effects of Pristine® fungicide on reproductive fitness honey bees queens were maintained in laboratory cages and exposed to field-realistic concentrations of the fungicide. Fungicide-treated queens exhibited increased egg-laying rates and reduced larval eclosion success. Additionally, accompanying workers exhibited decreased pollen consumption rates, reduced hypopharyngeal gland size, and decreased hemolymph protein concentrations. These outcomes may suggest further mechanisms by which fungicides impact honey bee health. Honey bee Apis mellifera The Effects of a Fungicide on Honey Bee Queen Reproduction and Worker Physiology