Abstract

SummaryThe honeybee (Apis mellifera) pheromone 2-heptanone was evaluated for possible use as a repellent in conjunction with agricultural insecticides. An efficacious repellent would prevent or reduce honeybee mortality by lowering the incidence of contact between bees and toxic chemicals. It was shown that although 2-heptanone repels bees, its use as a repellent would probably not be practical in an agricultural setting, and that under some conditions it acted as an attractant.