Toxicidade residual de extratos aquosos de nim sobre a abelha Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Emanoely Karoliny Santos da Silva; Tais  Fernandes da Conceição; Jacquelinne Alves de Medeiros Araújo Costa; Vitor da Silva Rodrigues; Tiago Augusto Lima Cardoso; Ewerton Marinho da Costa

doi:10.17765/2176-9168.2025v18e12706

Authors

Emanoely Karoliny Santos da Silva Universidade Federal de Campina Grande https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-6341
Tais Fernandes da Conceição Universidade Federal de Campina Grande https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3394-6200
Jacquelinne Alves de Medeiros Araújo Costa Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0951-5898
Vitor da Silva Rodrigues Universidade Federal de Campina Grande https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5371-4942
Tiago Augusto Lima Cardoso Universidade Federal de Campina Grande https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5067-0545
Ewerton Marinho da Costa Universidade Federal de Campina Grande https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4993-7817

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17765/2176-9168.2025v18e12706

Keywords:

Azadirachta indica, Decline, Natural Insecticide, Pollinators

Abstract

The use of synthetic insecticides in pest management has negatively impacted Apis mellifera populations in agricultural areas. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the residual toxicity of aqueous extracts from neem (Azadirachta indica) seeds and leaves on A. mellifera. The bioassay was conducted under laboratory conditions and consisted of eight treatments: absolute control (distilled water); positive control (Thiamethoxam at 0.30 g a.i./L); three doses of aqueous leaf extract (5, 10, and 20 g/100 mL); and three doses of aqueous seed extract (5, 10, and 20 g/100 mL). The aqueous extracts from neem seeds and leaves were minimally toxic to A. mellifera via residual exposure, causing less than 15% mortality. The leaf extract, regardless of dose, as well as the 5 g/100 mL dose of the seed extract, showed a median lethal time (LT??) of 287.17 hours, while the 10 and 20 g/100 mL doses of the seed extract resulted in an LT?? of 119.91 hours. Neem aqueous extracts did not affect the flight capacity of bees that survived 24 hours after exposure to the treatments and, regardless of the dose tested, were considered minimally toxic to A. mellifera via residual exposure.

Author Biographies

Emanoely Karoliny Santos da Silva, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande

Mestra em Horticultura Tropical pela Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal (PB), Brasil.

Tais Fernandes da Conceição, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande

Agrônoma pela Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal (PB), Brasil.

Jacquelinne Alves de Medeiros Araújo Costa, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido

Doutora em Fitotecnia pela Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Mossoró (RN), Brasil.

Vitor da Silva Rodrigues, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande

Agrônomo pela Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal (PB), Brasil.

Tiago Augusto Lima Cardoso, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande

Doutor em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB). Professor Permanente do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Agroindustriais (PPGSA) da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal (PB), Brasil.

Ewerton Marinho da Costa, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande

Doutor em Fitotecnia pela Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA). Professor Permanente da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal (PB), Brasil.

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