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Author Spotlight: Investigating the Tolerance of Cabbage Butterflies to Urban Pollutants
Published on: August 18, 2023
Genetic Variation Influences Tolerance to a Neonicotinoid Insecticide in 3 Butterfly Species
Megan E Kobiela1, Emilie C Snell-Rood1
1Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA.
Abstract:
Neonicotinoid pesticides harm nontarget insects, but their sublethal effects on butterflies are understudied. We exposed larvae of 3 butterfly species (Pieris rapae, Colias philodice, and Danaus plexippus) to low levels of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid in their host plants and followed individuals to adulthood. Imidacloprid altered adult body size, especially in female monarchs, but its effects varied across maternal families, highlighting the importance of considering genetic variation in ecotoxicological testing. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2228-2236. © 2020 SETAC.
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