This report produced as part of the US investigation of Colony Collapse Disorder identifies that multiple pesticicides including fungicides exist in wax and pollen.  Pollen being especially significant because it is brood food.  The discussion raises concerns about the potential interaction of several pesticides in the same colony.

Also mentioned is that miticide residues in wax have contributed to the development of resistant mites – the result of mites developing in cells containing sublethal doses of miticide.

“Background

Recent declines in honey bees for crop pollination threaten fruit, nut, vegetable and seed production in the United States. A broad survey of pesticide residues was conducted on samples from migratory and other beekeepers across 23 states, one Canadian province and several agricultural cropping systems during the 2007–08 growing seasons.

Conclusions/Significance

The 98 pesticides and metabolites detected in mixtures up to 214 ppm in bee pollen alone represents a remarkably high level for toxicants in the brood and adult food of this primary pollinator. This represents over half of the maximum individual pesticide incidences ever reported for apiaries. While exposure to many of these neurotoxicants elicits acute and sublethal reductions in honey bee fitness, the effects of these materials in combinations and their direct association with CCD or declining bee health remains to be determined.”

Read the full and detailed  American Report on Pesticides and Bees.