To explore the effect of fenpropathrin on survival and homing ability of honeybees Apis mellifera L., the newly emerged honeybee workers (< 12 h old) were randomly divided into 4 groups with 3 replicates in each group. Fenpropathrin (1/2 LD50, 1/4 LD50, 1/8 LD50 and 0% LD50) was added on the thorax of the bees. The viability of worker bees and their homing rate at 1 km distance away from colonies were analyzed, and the expression levels of two memory related genes (GluRA and Nmdar 1) in 20-day–old worker bees were also quantified. Overall, the lifespan and homing rates were significantly decreased with the increase of fenpropathrin dose (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the least group (1/8 LD50) and the control group (0% LD50) (P > 0.05). The relative expression of Nmdar1 was decreased significantly with the increasing doses of fenpropathrin and the lower expression level of Nmdar 1 was found in the fenpropathrin-treaded groups. The expression level of GluRA of workers in 1/8 LD50 group and the control group were significantly higher than that in 1/2 LD50 group and 1/4 LD50 group (P < 0.05), whereas the expression level of GluRA of workers in 1/4 LD50 group was significantly higher than that in 1/2 LD50 group (P < 0.05), and there is no significant difference between 1/8 LD50 group and the control group (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the use of fenpropathrin for agricultural crops may show negative influence on the viability and homing ability of worker bees Apis mellifera L.