A novel pesticide has lethal consequences for an important pollinator

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Toxicology
• Entomology

Background:

• Wild bees are crucial pollinators for crops and wildflowers.
• Neonicotinoids, widely used insecticides, face restrictions, increasing demand for alternatives.
• Flupyradifurone is a new insecticide approved for bee-visited crops globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the sublethal effects of flupyradifurone on solitary bees (Osmia lignaria).
• To evaluate the impact of a commercial flupyradifurone formulation (Sivanto Prime) at label rates.

Main Methods:

• A semi-field experiment exposed Osmia lignaria to flupyradifurone-treated cages.
• Control groups were maintained without pesticide exposure.
• Mortality, nesting success, foraging efficiency, and survival rates were monitored.

Main Results:

• 100% mortality of bees within 3 days of initial exposure to flupyradifurone.
• Survivors exhibited prolonged sublethal effects: reduced nesting success and foraging efficiency.
• Increased mortality rates were observed in bees exposed to flupyradifurone even after initial application.

Conclusions:

• Flupyradifurone poses significant threats to solitary bees at field-realistic concentrations.
• Current recommendations include restricting flupyradifurone to non-flowering crops pending safety reassessment.
• Holistic risk assessments incorporating diverse pollinator species are needed for long-term environmental safety.