τ-Fluvalinate is a pyrethroid acaricide.¹It induces tail currents in Western honeybee (A. mellifera) voltage-gated sodium channels (AmNa_v1) expressed inXenopusoocytes (EC₅₀= 60 nM). It also induces tail currents in honeybee parasitic Varroa mite (V. destructor) Na_v1 channels (VdNa_v1) expressed inXenopusoocytes (EC₅₀= 160 nM) with a faster tail current decay than that of AmNa_v1 channels. Topical application of τ-fluvalinate (2 µl) in combination with coumaphos , atrazine , 2,4-DMPF, chlorpyrifos , and chlorothalonil does not affect honeybee queen mass, egg-laying patterns, or the mass of daughter worker bees at emergence.²Formulations containing τ-fluvalinate have been used to control Varroa mites in beehives.

1.Gosselin-Badaroudine, P., and Chahine, M.Biophysical characterization of the Varroa destructor NaV1 sodium channel and its affinity for τ-fluvalinate insecticideFASEB J.31(7)3066-3071(2017) 2.McAfee, A.Honey bee queen health is unaffected by contact exposure to pesticides commonly found in beeswaxSci. Rep.11(1)15151(2021)