Evaluation of the model behaviour of ApisRAM version 3 (ApisRAM.03)

Abstract This report presents the evaluation of the model behaviour of ApisRAM version 3 (ApisRAM.03), developed under a framework partnership agreement between EFSA and Aarhus University. The model simulates the dynamics of a honey bee colony and its responses to various environmental stressors. The evaluation of ApisRAM.03 focused on two main parts: assessing the alignment between the conceptual and formal model's implementation in software and testing the model's suitability for the regulatory risk assessment of pesticides. The evaluation included a series of tests to determine the robustness and accuracy of the model predictions. The evaluation concludes that ApisRAM aligns satisfactorily with the conceptual model but requires documentation of recent updates, systematic code verification, and validation by empirical data. Software maturity limits its current usability. While ApisRAM.03 can operate on dynamic landscapes, it is not yet ready for regulatory risk assessment. Future recommendations are provided for its future implementation and evaluation.