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Effects of exposure to winter oilseed rape grown from thiamethoxam‐treated seed on the red mason bee Osmia bicornis
Author(s) -
Ruddle Natalie,
Elston Charlotte,
Klein Olaf,
Hamberger Anja,
Thompson Helen
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.4034
Subject(s) - thiamethoxam , pollen , biology , forage , pollination , agronomy , toxicology , horticulture , botany , pesticide , imidacloprid
There has been increasing interest in the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides on wild bees. In solitary bee species the direct link between each individual female and reproductive success offers the opportunity to evaluate effects on individuals. The present study investigated effects of exposure to winter oilseed rape grown from thiamethoxam‐treated seed on reproductive behavior and output of solitary red mason bees ( Osmia bicornis ) released in 6 pairs of fields over a 2‐yr period and confined to tunnels in a single year. After adjustment to the number of females released, there was significantly lower production of cells and cocoons/female in tunnels than in open field conditions. This difference may be because of the lack of alternative forage within the tunnels. Under open field conditions, palynology of the pollen provisions within the nests demonstrated a maximum average of 31% oilseed rape pollen at any site, with Quercus (oak) contributing up to 86% of the pollen. There were no significant effects from exposure to oilseed rape grown from thiamethoxam‐treated seed from nest establishment through cell production to emergence under tunnel or field conditions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1071–1083. © 2017 SETAC