Effect of Sub-lethal Doses of Imidacloprid on Learning and Memory Formation of Indigenous Arabian Bee (Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner) Adult Foragers

The indigenous bee race Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner of Saudi Arabia can learn and retain memories established by the classical conditioning of proboscis extension response (PER). The insecticide imidacloprid has shown a drastic effect on the olfactory behavior of A. m. jemenitica in the harsh arid climatic conditions of central Saudi Arabia. The oral feeding of single imidacloprid sub-lethal doses (1.0 ng, 0.5 ng, or 0.1 ng) under...