Pesticide risk assessment in honeybees: Toward the use of behavioral and reproductive performances as assessment endpoints

Barascou, Lena; Brunet, Jean-Luc; Belzunces, Luc; Decourtye, Axel; Henry, Mickaël; Fourrier, Julie; Conte, Yves Le; Alaux, Cédric

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130134

Cited by 20 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 160 publications

(219 reference statements)

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“…Among the numerous causes of declines, habitat loss, invasive species competition, and exposure to agrochemical pollutants are principal . Extensive use of multiple classes of insecticides, parasiticides, and other pesticides, , are of primary concern in pollinator risk assessment efforts . Furthermore, variability in pollinator species sensitivity to insecticides has recently been documented , which raises questions about adequacy of regulatory controls based on single model species tests (typically honeybees or bumblebees) and whether resulting data are sufficient for characterizing risk among all pollinators. − …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bee Pollinator Mortality Due to Pesticide-Laden Particulate Matter from Beef Cattle Feedyards

Green,

Peterson,

Emert

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Wild and managed bees are critical for the stability of trophic webs, angiosperm reproduction, and agricultural productivity. Unfortunately, as many as 40% of crop pollinators are in a steep decline due to habitat loss and exposure to agrochemicals. Pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, and macrocyclic lactones are among the many agrochemicals toxic to pollinating insects that are used extensively in industrial beef cattle feeding operations throughout the world. Fugitive feedyard particulate matter (PM) transports agrochemicals into the surrounding environs. To determine the impact of agrochemical-laden feedyard particulate matter on bee pollinators, we conducted in situ experiments wherein honeybees and mason bees were placed downwind and upwind of feedyards (N = 40). Concurrent, colocated total suspended particulate matter samples contained multiple insecticides and parasiticides including pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, and macrocyclic lactones, in significantly higher concentrations downwind of feedyards (bifenthrin, 8.45 ± 4.92; permethrin, 1032.34 ± 740.76; clothianidin, 3.61 ± 1.48; imidacloprid, 73.32 ± 47.52; thiamethoxam, 5.81 ± 3.16; abamectin, 0.45 ± 0.29; ivermectin, 8.88 ± 5.06 ng/g). Honeybees and mason bees sited downwind of feedyards always experienced higher mortality than those correspondingly sited upwind, and male mason bees experienced significantly higher mortality compared to females when both were sited downwind. Bees occurring downwind of beef cattle feedyards for 1 h are 232–260% more likely to die than those occurring upwind. Thus, agrochemicals used on and emitted from beef cattle feedyards are significant threats to bee pollinators.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bee Pollinator Mortality Due to Pesticide-Laden Particulate Matter from Beef Cattle Feedyards

Green,

Peterson,

Emert

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…Our results reinforce the idea that fungicides are not safe for pollinating insects [70], even if they act via non-neurotoxic mechanisms. They also highlight the importance of testing for sublethal effects of agrochemicals in the field [71], in part because important interactive effects become apparent, such as the interaction between Pristine and high temperatures. In order to ensure the stability of pollination services and our food supply, and especially as heat waves become more common due to climate change, future research should seek to develop a better understanding of the interactive effects between agrochemicals and extreme temperatures on pollinators.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synergistic negative effects between a fungicide and high temperatures on homing behaviours in honeybees

DesJardins,

Chester,

Ozturk

et al. 2024

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Interactions between environmental stressors may contribute to ongoing pollinator declines, but have not been extensively studied. Here, we examined the interaction between the agricultural fungicide Pristine (active ingredients: 25.2% boscalid, 12.8% pyraclostrobin) and high temperatures on critical honeybee behaviours. We have previously shown that consumption of field-realistic levels of this fungicide shortens worker lifespan in the field and impairs associative learning performance in a laboratory-based assay. We hypothesized that Pristine would also impair homing and foraging behaviours in the field, and that an interaction with hot weather would exacerbate this effect. Both field-relevant Pristine exposure and higher air temperatures reduced the probability of successful return on their own. Together, the two factors synergistically reduced the probability of return and increased the time required for bees to return to the hive. Pristine did not affect the masses of pollen or volumes of nectar or water brought back to the hive by foragers, and it did not affect the ratio of forager types in a colony. However, Pristine-fed bees brought more concentrated nectar back to the hive. As both agrochemical usage and heat waves increase, additive and synergistic negative effects may pose major threats to pollinators and sustainable agriculture.

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“…Much is known regarding the lethality of high doses of agrochemicals (especially neonicotinoids) on adult worker bees [11][12][13][14], but relatively less is understood regarding their sublethal effects [15], perhaps because there are many more endpoints to be considered or because sublethal assessments are not always required to register a pesticide [16]. Even less well understood are the effects of agrochemicals on honey bee queens and colony reproduction [17][18][19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indirect exposure to insect growth disruptors affects honey bee (Apis mellifera) reproductive behaviors and ovarian protein expression

Fine,

Foster,

McAfee

2023

PLoS ONE

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Pesticide exposure and queen loss are considered to be major causes of honey bee colony mortality, yet little is known regarding the effects of regularly encountered agrochemicals on honey bee reproduction. Here, we present the results of a two-generational study using specialized cages to expose queens to commonly used insect growth disrupting pesticides (IGDs) via their retinue of worker bees. Under IGD exposure, we tracked queen performance and worker responses to queens, then the performance of the exposed queens’ offspring was assessed to identify patterns that may contribute to the long-term health and stability of a social insect colony. The positive control, novaluron, resulted in deformed larvae hatching from eggs laid by exposed queens, and methoxyfenozide, diflubenzuron, and novaluron caused a slight decrease in daily egg laying rates, but this was not reflected in the total egg production over the course of the experiment. Curiously, eggs laid by queens exposed to pyriproxyfen exhibited increased hatching rates, and those larvae developed into worker progeny with increased responsiveness to their queens. Additionally, pyriproxyfen and novaluron exposure affected the queen ovarian protein expression, with the overwhelming majority of differentially expressed proteins coming from the pyriproxyfen exposure. We discuss these results and the potential implications for honey bee reproduction and colony health.

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Pesticide risk assessment in honeybees: Toward the use of behavioral and reproductive performances as assessment endpoints

Cited by 20 publications

References 160 publications

Bee Pollinator Mortality Due to Pesticide-Laden Particulate Matter from Beef Cattle Feedyards

Bee Pollinator Mortality Due to Pesticide-Laden Particulate Matter from Beef Cattle Feedyards

Synergistic negative effects between a fungicide and high temperatures on homing behaviours in honeybees

Indirect exposure to insect growth disruptors affects honey bee (Apis mellifera) reproductive behaviors and ovarian protein expression

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