Combined exposure to sublethal concentrations of an insecticide and a fungicide affect feeding, ovary development and longevity in a solitary bee.

ABSTRACT: Pollinators in agroecosystems are often exposed to pesticide mixtures. Even at low concentrations, the effects of these mixtures on bee populations are difficult to predict due to potential synergistic interactions. In this paper, we orally exposed newly emerged females of the solitary bee Osmia bicornis to environmentally realistic levels of clothianidin (neonicotinoid insecticide) and propiconazole (fungicide), singly and in combination. The amount of feeding solution consumed was highest in bees exposed to the neonicotinoid, and lowest in bees exposed to the pesticide mixture. Ovary maturation and longevity of bees of the neonicotinoid and the fungicide treatments did not differ from those of control bees. By contrast, bees exposed to the pesticide mixture showed slow ovary matur

SUBMITTER: Sgolastra F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6125910 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature