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Sulfoxaflor insecticide and azoxystrobin fungicide have no major impact on honeybees in a realistic-exposure semi-field experiment
- Source :
- Science of The Total Environment
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Exposure to pesticides is considered a major threat to bees and several neonicotinoid insecticides were recently banned in cropland within the European Union in light of evidence of their potential detrimental effects. Nonetheless, bees remain exposed to many pesticides whose effects are poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that one of the most prominent replacements of the banned neonicotinoids – the insecticide sulfoxaflor - harms bees and that fungicides may have been overlooked as a driver of bee declines. Realistic-exposure studies are, however, lacking. Here, we assess the impact of the insecticide Closer (active ingredient: sulfoxaflor) and the widely used fungicide Amistar (a.i.: azoxystrobin) on honeybees in a semi-field study (10 flight cages containing a honeybee colony, for each of three treatments: Closer, Amistar, control). The products were applied according to label instructions either before (Closer) or during (Amistar) the bloom of purple tansy. We found no significant effects of Closer or Amistar on honeybee colony development or foraging activity. Our study suggests that these pesticides pose no notable risk to honeybees when applied in isolation, following stringent label instructions. The findings on Closer indicate that a safety-period of 5–6 days between application and bloom, which is only prescribed in a few EU member states, may prevent its impacts on honeybees. However, to conclude whether Closer and Amistar can safely be applied, further realistic-exposure studies should examine their effects in combination with other chemical or biological stressors on various pollinator species.
- Subjects :
- Insecticides
Environmental Engineering
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Pyridines
Foraging
010501 environmental sciences
Biology
01 natural sciences
Toxicology
chemistry.chemical_compound
Neonicotinoids
Pollinator
Environmental Chemistry
media_common.cataloged_instance
Animals
European union
Waste Management and Disposal
Sulfoxaflor
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
media_common
Sulfur Compounds
Neonicotinoid
Pesticide
Bees
Strobilurins
Pollution
Fungicides, Industrial
Fungicide
Pyrimidines
chemistry
Azoxystrobin
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 18791026
- Volume :
- 778
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Science of the total environment
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....4d954ba065577c155210b45958a80402