ABSTRACT
Apis florea is a dwarf honeybee mostly distributed in South and South East Asia. Even though A. florea mainly inhabits wild habitats, increased risks to pesticide poisoning present challenges for sustaining the population, which is partly due to the expansion of chemically intensive agriculture. Many insecticides are exposed directly and indirectly to foragers and brood of A. florea, inflicting mortality, physiological and behavioural impairments and lowered colony performances. Since honeybees possess a lower number of genes responsible for detoxification, careful use of pesticides is recommended for the conservation and protection of these valuable ecosystem service providers.
