Country-specific effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on honey bees and wild bees

Woodcock, B.A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0300-9951; Bullock, J.M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0529-4020; Shore, R.F.; Heard, M.S.; Pereira, M.G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3740-0019; Redhead, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2233-3848; Ridding, L.; Dean, H.; Sleep, D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1128-1883; Henrys, P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4758-1482; Peyton, J.; Hulmes, S.; Hulmes, L.; Sárospataki, M.; Saure, C.; Edwards, M.; Genersch, E.; Knäbe, S.; Pywell, R.F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6431-9959. 2017 Country-specific effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on honey bees and wild bees. Science, 356 (6345). 1393-1395. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa1190

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa1190

Abstract/Summary

Neonicotinoid seed dressings have caused concern world-wide. We use large field experiments to assess the effects of neonicotinoid-treated crops on three bee species across three countries (Hungary, Germany, and the United Kingdom). Winter-sown oilseed rape was grown commercially with either seed coatings containing neonicotinoids (clothianidin or thiamethoxam) or no seed treatment (control). For honey bees, we found both negative (Hungary and United Kingdom) and positive (Germany) effects during crop flowering. In Hungary, negative effects on honey bees (associated with clothianidin) persisted over winter and resulted in smaller colonies in the following spring (24% declines). In wild bees (Bombus terrestris and Osmia bicornis), reproduction was negatively correlated with neonicotinoid residues. These findings point to neonicotinoids causing a reduced capacity of bee species to establish new populations in the year following exposure.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa1190
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Parr Pywell Shore
ISSN:	0036-8075
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	31 Oct 2017 16:38 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/518181

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa1190

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Parr
Pywell
Shore

ISSN:

0036-8075

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment

Date made live:

31 Oct 2017 16:38 +0 (UTC)