Gene expression in honey bee (Apis mellifera) larvae exposed to pesticides and Varroa mites (Varroa destructor)

▸ Honey bee larvae reared in vitro were exposed pesticides and Varroa mites. ▸ Gene-expression changes were measured for bee health, immunity, xenobiotic detoxification. ▸ Varroa parasitism induced transcript abundances for the antimicrobial peptides abaecin, hymenoptaecin, and defensin1. ▸ Definitive impacts of pesticides and Varroa parasitism on honey bee larval gene expression were demonstrated.