Large-scale study investigating the effects of a tank mixture containing thiacloprid-prochloraz on honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Alkassab, Abdulrahim; Kunz, Nadine; Bischoff, Gabriela; Lüken, Dorothee; Janke, Martina; Wallner, Klaus; Kirchner, Wolfgang H.; Pistorius, Jens

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137396

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Neonicotinoids are the most widely used pesticides globally and are used to control a variety of sucking pests ( Elbert et al, 2008 ; Xu et al, 2022 ). Residues of these insecticides have been found not only in soil ( Liu Z. K. et al, 2022 ) and water ( Mahai et al, 2019 ) but have also been traced in the pollen and nectar due to their systemic properties ( Singla et al, 2020 ; Alkassab et al, 2023 ) and can harm non-target pollinator honeybees by acting on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the insects’ nervous system ( Tomizawa and Casida, 2003 ) and non-neuronal ACh system ( Grunewald and Siefert, 2019 ). In recent years, neonicotinoid residues have been discovered in wild and managed bees and their honey samples worldwide ( Mrzlikar et al, 2019 ; Tang et al, 2019 ; Wang et al, 2020 ; Kavanagh et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronic larval exposure to thiacloprid impairs honeybee antennal selectivity, learning and memory performances

Chen

Dai

et al. 2023

Front. Physiol.

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The use of agricultural neonicotinoid insecticides has sub-lethal chronic effects on bees that are more prevalent than acute toxicity. Among these insecticides, thiacloprid, a commonly used compound with low toxicity, has attracted significant attention due to its potential impact on the olfactory and learning abilities of honeybees. The effect of sub-lethal larval exposure to thiacloprid on the antennal activity of adult honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) is not yet fully understood. To address this knowledge gap, laboratory-based experiments were conducted in which honeybee larvae were administered thiacloprid (0.5 mg/L and 1.0 mg/L). Using electroantennography (EAG), the impacts of thiacloprid exposure on the antennal selectivity to common floral volatiles were evaluated. Additionally, the effects of sub-lethal exposure on odor-related learning and memory were also assessed. The results of this study reveal, for the first time, that sub-lethal larval exposure to thiacloprid decreased honeybee antenna EAG responses to floral scents, leading to increased olfactory selectivity in the high-dose (1.0 mg/L) group compared to the control group (0 mg/L vs. 1.0 mg/L: p = 0.042). The results also suggest that thiacloprid negatively affected odor-associated paired learning acquisition, as well as medium-term (1 h) (0 mg/L vs. 1.0 mg/L: p = 0.019) and long-term memory (24 h) (0 mg/L vs. 1.0 mg/L: p = 0.037) in adult honeybees. EAG amplitudes were dramatically reduced following R-linalool paired olfactory training (0 mg/L vs. 1.0 mg/L: p = 0.001; 0 mg/L vs. 0.5 mg/L: p = 0.027), while antennal activities only differed significantly in the control between paired and unpaired groups. Our results indicated that exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of thiacloprid may affect olfactory perception and learning and memory behaviors in honeybees. These findings have important implications for the safe use of agrochemicals in the environment.

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