The contact toxicity of eight conventional insecticides viz., acephate, chlorpyriphos, dichlorvos, dimethoate, profenophos, triazophos, cypermethrin and neem oil at recommended dose was tested on honeybee Apis mellifera L using the dry film method. Foragers were released into treated jars at different intervals ., 0, 12 and 24 hours after dry film formation. Acephate, dichlorvos, cypermethrin and dimethoate were found to be highly toxic to honeybees, while neem oil was the least toxic. |