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Neonicotinoid pesticide reduces bumble bee colony growth and queen production
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posted on 2023-06-08, 18:56 authored by Penelope R Whitehorn, Stephanie O'Connor, Felix L Wackers, Dave GoulsonDave GoulsonGrowing evidence for declines in bee populations has caused great concern because of the valuable ecosystem services they provide. Neonicotinoid insecticides have been implicated in these declines because they occur at trace levels in the nectar and pollen of crop plants. We exposed colonies of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris in the laboratory to field-realistic levels of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, then allowed them to develop naturally under field conditions. Treated colonies had a significantly reduced growth rate and suffered an 85% reduction in production of new queens compared with control colonies. Given the scale of use of neonicotinoids, we suggest that they may be having a considerable negative impact on wild bumble bee populations across the developed world.
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Publication status
- Published
Journal
ScienceISSN
0036-8075Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of ScienceExternal DOI
Issue
6079Volume
336Page range
351-352Department affiliated with
- Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications
Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2014-11-19Usage metrics
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