Premium
Synergistic interactions between a variety of insecticides and an ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitor fungicide in dietary exposures of bumble bees ( Bombus terrestris L.)
Author(s) -
Raimets Risto,
Karise Reet,
Mänd Marika,
Kaart Tanel,
Ponting Sally,
Song Jimao,
Cresswell James E
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
pest management science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.296
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1526-4998
pISSN - 1526-498X
DOI - 10.1002/ps.4756
Subject(s) - imidacloprid , fungicide , fipronil , biology , pesticide , clothianidin , thiamethoxam , toxicology , neonicotinoid , pyrethroid , agrochemical , bombus terrestris , toxicity , botany , agronomy , chemistry , pollinator , ecology , pollination , pollen , organic chemistry , agriculture
Abstract BACKGROUND In recent years, concern has been raised over honey bee colony losses, and also among wild bees there is evidence for extinctions and range contractions in Europe and North America. Pesticides have been proposed as a potential cause of this decline. Bees are exposed simultaneously to a variety of agrochemicals, which may cause synergistically detrimental impacts, which are incompletely understood. We investigated the toxicity of the fungicide imazalil in mixture with four common insecticides: fipronil (phenylpyrazoid), cypermethrin (pyrethroid), thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid (neonicotinoids). Ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitor (EBI) fungicides like imazalil can inhibit P450 detoxification systems in insects and therefore fungicide − insecticide co‐occurrence might produce synergistic toxicity in bees. We assessed the impact of dietary fungicide − insecticide mixtures on the mortality and feeding rates of laboratory bumble bees ( Bombus terrestris L.). RESULTS Regarding mortality, imazalil synergised the toxicity of fipronil, cypermethrin and thiamethoxam, but not imidacloprid. We found no synergistic effects on feeding rates. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that P450‐based detoxification processes are differentially important in mitigating the toxicity of certain insecticides, even those of the same chemical class. Our evidence that cocktail effects can arise in bumble bees should extend concern about the potential impacts of agrochemical mixtures to include wild bee species in farmland. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry