Pesticide exposure during crop pollination varies among wild bee species and commercial bumble bees

Wild bees play a crucial role as pollinators within agricultural landscapes, yet their exposure to pesticides in these environments remains a pressing concern. Pesticide exposure may vary across taxa, and it is unclear whether commonly studied managed bees can serve as a good indicator of exposure in other taxa. In this study, we investigate pesticide exposure levels among three wild bee species and one managed bee species, Bombus impatiens, foraging in commercial strawberry fields in the Finger Lakes region of New York, USA. We screened for 261 pesticide compounds in the bodies of wild and managed bees as well as in wax from B. impatiens colonies and flowers collected from the strawberry fields. Although the number of compounds detected was similar among bee species, the proportion of individuals exposed, total residues detected, and the composition of compounds varied across species. Sites with higher average pesticide residues in flowers and wax from B. impatiens colonies also had higher residue levels in bees; however, residue levels in B. impatiens individuals were not related with residues in any wild bee species. These findings indicate that individual taxa, like bumble bees, may not be suitable stand-ins for predicting pesticide exposure in broader wild bee communities. Rather, individuals of multiple bee species, their nest materials and crop flowers are required to give a reliable indication of exposure across a full bee community.