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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Empirical, Metagenomic, and Computational Techniques Illuminate the Mechanisms by which Fungicides Compromise Bee Health

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Contrasting Toxicity Classes Differentially Affect Gut Microbiota Composition in Honey Bees.

Yunchao Kan^1,2, Ruoke Wang², Bing Zhang²

¹School of Plant Protection and Environment, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, 90 East of Hualan Avenue, Xinxiang 453003, China.

|April 27, 2026

Summary

Insecticides impact honey bee gut microbes differently. Highly toxic emamectin benzoate-lufenuron (EB-LFR) reduced beneficial bacteria and increased pathogens, while low-toxicity RH-5849 broadly reduced beneficials.

Keywords:

16S rRNA gene sequencing Apis mellifera pesticide risk assessment

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Area of Science:

Ecotoxicology
Microbiology
Insect Science

Background:

Honey bee gut microbiota are crucial for host health, influencing nutrition, detoxification, and immunity.
The impact of emerging insecticides on these vital symbiotic relationships is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare the acute toxicity and short-term gut microbiota responses of honey bees (Apis mellifera ligustica) to two insecticides with different toxicity profiles.
To investigate how emamectin benzoate-lufenuron (EB-LFR) and RH-5849 affect honey bee gut microbial communities.

Main Methods:

Honey bee workers were exposed to EB-LFR and RH-5849.
Acute toxicity was assessed.
Gut microbiota composition was analyzed using pooled samples from exposed bees.

Main Results:

EB-LFR exposure led to reductions in core gut symbionts (Gilliamella, Snodgrassella, Lactobacillus), a transient increase in Bifidobacterium, and the emergence of opportunistic pathogens (Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter hormaechei).
RH-5849 exposure caused broad reductions in beneficial bacteria without detectable pathogen emergence, indicating a less severe alteration.
Microbiota analyses were exploratory and qualitative due to the use of pooled samples.

Conclusions:

Insecticides with contrasting toxicity classes can differentially impact honey bee gut microbiota composition.
These findings suggest the need to include gut microbiota endpoints in pesticide risk assessments to predict sublethal effects on pollinators.