Effects of lithium chloride on queen egg‐laying performance and worker honey bee behavior

LiCl did not adversely influence queen egg laying or workers' nursing behavior, reinforcing previous findings suggesting negligible long-term risks to essential colony maintenance activities such as queen reproductive performance and nursing behavior. The reduced aggression observation is consistent with reports from other species, suggesting a conserved modulatory role of Li on aggression across the animal kingdom. From an applied perspective, these results imply that LiCl can be used as Varroa control without compromise on colony reproduction and brood care. Furthermore, LiCl could potentially facilitate the management of aggressive colonies, thereby reducing stress for both the bees and their handlers. © 2025 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.