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Updated: Jan 9, 2026
Empirical, Metagenomic, and Computational Techniques Illuminate the Mechanisms by which Fungicides Compromise Bee Health
Published on: October 9, 2017
Sublethal effects of cyfluthrin, atrazine, and prothioconazole on the development of European bumblebee (Bombus
Shunhua Yang1, Yunfei Xue1, Wutao Jiang1
1Yunnan Provincial Engineering and Research Center for Sustainable Utilization of Honeybee Resources, Eastern Bee Research Institute, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China.
Background:
Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are essential pollinators of agricultural crops, relying primarily on nectar and pollen for nutrition. However, these floral resources often contain pesticide residues that may exert sublethal effects on colony performance. While acute impacts are difficult to observe, chronic exposure can undermine colony development and increase the risk of collapse. The field-level effects of commonly used pesticides such as cyfluthrin, atrazine, and prothioconazole on the European bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we evaluated colony development under natural conditions simulating long-term exposure to field-relevant concentrations of these pesticides in nectar.
Results:
Developmental parameters included nest weight, pesticide-sucrose solution consumption, number of sealed pupae, number of virgin queens, and queen birth weight. Colonies exposed to cyfluthrin exhibited significantly lower nest weight, though other measures were unaffected. Atrazine exposure resulted in reduced nest weight, pesticide-sucrose consumption, and virgin queen birth weight, indicating impaired colony development. In contrast, prothioconazole exposure increased nest weight, and virgin queen birth weight, while pesticide-sucrose consumption, pupal and queen numbers were unaffected.
Conclusion:
These findings demonstrate the cyfluthrin exerts relatively mild effects, atrazine negatively impacts colony growth, and prothioconazole may unexpectedly enhance colony development. Current policy debates on pollinator safety largely emphasize neonicotinoids. However, our results highlight the need to consider the risks associated with other pesticide classes. Evaluating impacts on managed non-Apis species such as B. terrestris is particularly important for developing sustainable crop protection strategies that balance agricultural productivity with pollinator health. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
