The contribution of neonicotinoid pesticides to bee colony collapse disorder.

Introduction

Bee colony collapse disorder (CCD) has been a significant concern for beekeepers and environmentalists since the early 2000s. Neonicotinoid pesticides, widely used in agriculture, have been implicated in contributing to CCD. This synthesis examines the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides on bee health and their potential role in CCD.

Key Insights

Sub-lethal Effects on Bee Health:
- Neonicotinoids cause various sub-lethal effects on bees, including abnormal foraging activities, impaired brood development, and neurological or cognitive effects, which can lead to CCD .
- Chronic exposure to neonicotinoids results in decreased colony performance, reduced numbers of adult bees and brood, and lower honey production.
Impact on Queen Bees:
- Neonicotinoid exposure during development severely affects queen bees' reproductive anatomy and physiology, leading to reduced queen success and colony performance .
- Queen failure and reduced mating success due to neonicotinoid exposure result in decreased genetic diversity within colonies, negatively impacting colony vitality.
Colony Winterization and Collapse:
- Sub-lethal exposure to neonicotinoids impairs honey bees' ability to winterize, leading to higher rates of CCD during the winter months.
- Neonicotinoid exposure is associated with increased queen supersedure and reduced swarming propensity, further weakening colonies.
Immune System Impairment:
- Neonicotinoids weaken honey bees' immune defenses, making them more susceptible to parasites and pathogens, which can contribute to colony failure .
- The combination of neonicotinoids and pathogens like Nosema ceranae and black queen cell virus significantly increases bee mortality.
Field Studies and Colony Performance:
- Field studies show that neonicotinoid exposure negatively impacts bumblebee colony growth and queen production, suggesting similar effects on wild bee populations .
- Reanalysis of field data indicates a clear negative relationship between neonicotinoid levels in food stores and colony performance.

Conclusion

The collective evidence from multiple studies indicates that neonicotinoid pesticides significantly contribute to bee colony collapse disorder. These pesticides impair bee health through sub-lethal effects, reduce queen success, weaken immune defenses, and negatively impact colony performance. The synergistic effects of neonicotinoids and pathogens further exacerbate the decline in bee populations, highlighting the need for stringent risk assessments and regulatory measures to protect these vital pollinators.

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The contribution of neonicotinoid pesticides to bee colony collapse disorder.

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

A Review of Sub-lethal Neonicotinoid Insecticides Exposure and Effects on Pollinators

Sub-lethal exposure to neonicotinoids, particularly neonicotinoids, can negatively impact bee health, including abnormal foraging, impaired brood development, neurological effects, and colony collapse disorder.

Sub-lethal exposure to neonicotinoids impaired honey bees winterization before proceeding to colony collapse disorder

Sub-lethal exposure to neonicotinoids impairs honey bee winterization, leading to colony collapse disorder, while control colonies are re-populated quickly with new emerging bees.

Neonicotinoid pesticides severely affect honey bee queens

Exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides during development can severely affect honey bee queens, affecting reproductive anatomy and physiology, potentially reducing their success in maintaining bee colonies.

Neonicotinoids impact bumblebee colony fitness in the field; a reanalysis of the UK’s Food & Environment Research Agency 2012 experiment

Neonicotinoids negatively impact bumblebee colony growth and queen production in the field, suggesting that wild bumblebee colonies in farmland can be adversely affected by exposure to these pesticides.

The neonicotinoids thiacloprid, imidacloprid, and clothianidin affect the immunocompetence of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.).

Neoicotinoids thiacloprid, imidacloprid, and clothianidin negatively impact honey bees' immune competence, potentially impairing their disease resistance capacity.

Neonicotinoid pesticides can reduce honeybee colony genetic diversity

Neonicotinoid pesticides can reduce honeybee colony genetic diversity by reducing the mating frequency of queens, potentially impacting colony health.

Impact of Chronic Neonicotinoid Exposure on Honeybee Colony Performance and Queen Supersedure

Chronic neonicotinoid exposure negatively impacts honeybee colony performance and queen survival, with genetic background playing a significant role in their susceptibility to these pesticides.

Neonicotinoid Pesticide Reduces Bumble Bee Colony Growth and Queen Production

Neonicotinoid insecticides significantly reduce bumble bee colony growth and queen production, potentially impacting wild bumble bee populations across the developed world.

Risks of neonicotinoid insecticides to honeybees

Neonicotinoid insecticides may play a role in honeybee health, with their widespread distribution in plants posing a concern for their exposure to pollinators.

Bees under stress: sublethal doses of a neonicotinoid pesticide and pathogens interact to elevate honey bee mortality across the life cycle.

Sublethal doses of neonicotinoid pesticide and microbial pathogens can synergistically increase honey bee mortality across the life cycle, potentially impacting colony survival.

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