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Effects of field-relevant concentrations of clothianidin on larval development of the butterfly Polyommatus icarus (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)

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posted on 2023-06-09, 12:59 authored by Kate Basley, Dave GoulsonDave Goulson
Arable field margins are often sown with wild flowers to encourage pollinators and other beneficial or desirable insects such as bees and butterflies. Concern has been raised that these margins may be contaminated with systemic pesticides such as neonicotinoids used on the adjacent crop, and that this may negatively impact on beneficial insects. The use of neonicotinoids has been linked to butterfly declines, and species such as the common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) that feed upon legumes commonly sown in arable field margins, may be exposed to such toxins. Here, we demonstrate that the larval foodplants of P. icarus growing in an arable field margin adjacent to a wheat crop treated with the neonicotinoid clothianidin, not only contain the pesticide at concentrations comparable to and sometimes higher than those found in foliage of treated crops (range 0.2 to 48 ppb), but remain detectable at these levels for up to 21 months after sowing the crop. Overall, our study demonstrates that non-target herbivorous organisms in arable field margins are likely to be chronically exposed to neonicotinoids. Under laboratory conditions, exposure to clothianidin at 15ppb (a field-realistic dose) or above reduced larval growth for the first 9 days of the experiment. Although there was evidence of clothianidin inducing mortality in larvae, with highest survival in control groups, the dose-response relationship was unclear. Our study suggests that larvae of this butterfly exhibit some deleterious sublethal and sometimes lethal impacts of exposure to clothianidin, but many larvae survive to adulthood even when exposed to high doses.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Environmental Science and Technology

ISSN

0013-936X

Publisher

American Chemical Society

Issue

7

Volume

52

Page range

3990-3996

Department affiliated with

  • Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2018-04-20

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2019-03-19

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-04-20

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