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Bartlett LJ, Alparslan S, Bruckner S, Delaney DA, Menz JF, Williams GR, Delaplane KS. Neonicotinoid exposure increases Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) mite parasitism severity in honey bee colonies and is not mitigated by increased colony genetic diversity. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2024; 24:20. [PMID: 38805648 PMCID: PMC11132139 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieae056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Agrochemical exposure is a major contributor to ecological declines worldwide, including the loss of crucial pollinator species. In addition to direct toxicity, field-relevant doses of pesticides can increase species' vulnerabilities to other stressors, including parasites. Experimental field demonstrations of potential interactive effects of pesticides and additional stressors are rare, as are tests of mechanisms via which pollinators tolerate pesticides. Here, we controlled honey bee colony exposure to field-relevant concentrations of 2 neonicotinoid insecticides (clothianidin and thiamethoxam) in pollen and simultaneously manipulated intracolony genetic heterogeneity. We showed that exposure increased rates of Varroa destructor (Anderson and Trueman) parasitism and that while increased genetic heterogeneity overall improved survivability, it did not reduce the negative effect size of neonicotinoid exposure. This study is, to our knowledge, the first experimental field demonstration of how neonicotinoid exposure can increase V. destructor populations in honey bees and also demonstrates that colony genetic diversity cannot mitigate the effects of neonicotinoid pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis J Bartlett
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Suleyman Alparslan
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Selina Bruckner
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Deborah A Delaney
- Department of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 27695-7613, USA
| | - John F Menz
- Department of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 27695-7613, USA
| | - Geoffrey R Williams
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Keith S Delaplane
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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2
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Agathokleous E, Rillig MC, Peñuelas J, Yu Z. One hundred important questions facing plant science derived using a large language model. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 29:210-218. [PMID: 37394309 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly and continually evolving in various fields. Recently, the release of ChatGPT has sparked significant public interest. In this study, we revisit the '100 Important Questions Facing Plant Science' by leveraging ChatGPT as a valuable tool for generating thought-provoking questions relevant to plant science. These questions primarily revolve around the utilization of plants in product development, understanding plant mechanisms, plant-environment interactions, and enhancing plant traits, with an emphasis on sustainable product development. While ChatGPT may not capture certain crucial aspects highlighted by scientists, it offers valuable insights into the questions generated by experts. Our analysis demonstrates that ChatGPT can be cautiously employed as a supportive tool to facilitate, streamline, and expedite specific tasks in plant science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Carbon Source and Sink, China Meteorological Administration (ECSS-CMA), School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China; Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China.
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Altensteinstr. 6, D-14195, Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), D-14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Catalonia 08193, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia 08193, Spain
| | - Zhen Yu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Carbon Source and Sink, China Meteorological Administration (ECSS-CMA), School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China; Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China.
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3
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Wu T, Gao J, Choi YS, Kim DW, Han B, Yang S, Lu Y, Kang Y, Du H, Diao Q, Dai P. Interaction of chlorothalonil and Varroa destructor on immature honey bees rearing in vitro. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166302. [PMID: 37595923 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Under realistic environmental conditions, bees are often exposed to multiple stressors, especially Varroa destructor and pesticides. In this study, the effects of exposure to NOAEC of chlorothalonil during the larval stage, in the presence or absence of V. destructor, was examined in terms of survival, morphological and transcriptional changes. The interaction between chlorothalonil and V. destructor on the survival of honey bee was additive. V. destructor are the dominant factor in the interaction for survival and transcriptome alternation. The downregulation of the genes related to tissue growth and caste differentiation may directly link to the mortality of honey bees. Either chlorothalonil or V. destructor induces the irregular morphology of trophocytes and oenocytes in the fat body. In addition to irregular shapes, oenocytes in V. destructor alone and double-stressor treatment group showed altered nuclei and vacuoles in the cytoplasm. The interaction of V. destructor and chlorothalonil at the larval stage have potential adverse effects on the subsequent adult bees, with up-regulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism and detoxification/defense in fat body tissue. Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of combinatorial effects between biotic and abiotic stressors on one of the most important pollinators, honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jing Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Yong Soo Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun 55365, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Won Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun 55365, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sa Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ying Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; Key Laboratory of Northern Urban Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Bioscience and Resource Environment, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yuxin Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hanchao Du
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qingyun Diao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Pingli Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
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Agathokleous E, Sonne C, Benelli G, Calabrese EJ, Guedes RNC. Low-dose chemical stimulation and pest resistance threaten global crop production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 878:162989. [PMID: 36948307 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Pesticide resistance increases and threatens crop production sustainability. Chemical contamination contributes to the development of pest resistance to pesticides, in part by causing stimulatory effects on pests at low sub-toxic doses and facilitating the spread of resistance genes. This article discusses hormesis and low-dose biological stimulation and their relevance to crop pest resistance. It highlights that a holistic approach is needed to tackle pest resistance to pesticides and reduce imbalance in accessing food and improving food security in accordance with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Among others, the effects of sub-toxic doses of pesticides should be considered when assessing the impact of synthetic and natural pesticides, while the promotion of alternative agronomical practices is needed to decrease the use of agrochemicals. Potential alternative solutions include camo-cropping, exogenous application of phytochemicals that are pest-suppressing or -repelling and/or attractive to carnivorous arthropods and other pest natural enemies, and nano-technological innovations. Moreover, to facilitate tackling of pesticide resistance in poorer countries, less technology-demanding and low-cost practices are needed. These include mixed cropping systems, diversification of cultures, use of 'push-pull cropping', incorporation of flower strips into cultivations, modification of microenvironment, and application of beneficial microorganisms and insects. However, there are still numerous open questions, and more research is needed to address the ecological and environmental effects of many of these potential solutions, with special reference to trophic webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, Jiangsu, China; Research Center for Global Changes and Ecosystem Carbon Sequestration & Mitigation, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Center (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India
| | - Giovanni Benelli
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Edward J Calabrese
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Morrill I, N344, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Raul Narciso C Guedes
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil
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Paleolog J, Wilde J, Gancarz M, Wiącek D, Nawrocka A, Strachecka A. Imidacloprid Pesticide Causes Unexpectedly Severe Bioelement Deficiencies and Imbalance in Honey Bees Even at Sublethal Doses. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040615. [PMID: 36830400 PMCID: PMC9951668 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pesticides impair honeybee health in many ways. Imidacloprid (IMD) is a pesticide used worldwide. No information exists on how IMD impact the bees' body bioelement balance, which is essential for bee health. We hypothesized that IMD disturbs this balance and fed the bees (in field conditions) with diets containing 0 ppb (control), 5 ppb (sublethal considered field-relevant), and 200 ppb (adverse) doses of IMD. IMD severely reduced the levels of K, Na, Ca, and Mg (electrolytic) and of Fe, Mo, Mn, Co, Cu, Ni, Se, and Zn, while those of Sn, V, and Cr (enzymatic) were increased. Levels of P, S, Ti, Al, Li, and Sr were also decreased, while only the B content (physiologically essential) was increased. The increase in Tl, Pb, and As levels (toxic) was alarming. Generally, IMD, even in sublethal doses, unexpectedly led to severe bioelement malnutrition in 69% of bioelements and to a stoichiometric mismatch in the remaining ones. This points to the IMD-dependent bioelement disturbance as another, yet unaccounted for, essential metabolic element which can interfere with apian health. Consequently, there is a need for developing methods of bioelement supplementation of the honey bee diet for better preventing bee colony decline and protecting apian health status when faced with pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerzy Paleolog
- Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Doświadczalna 50a, 20-280 Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-602725175
| | - Jerzy Wilde
- Department of Poultry Science and Apiculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, Warmia and Mazury University in Olsztyn, Słoneczna 48, 10-957 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Marek Gancarz
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
- Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Balicka 116B, 30-149 Kraków, Poland
| | - Dariusz Wiącek
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Nawrocka
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
| | - Aneta Strachecka
- Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Doświadczalna 50a, 20-280 Lublin, Poland
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Sukkar D, Laval-Gilly P, Bonnefoy A, Malladi S, Azoury S, Kanso A, Falla-Angel J. Differential Production of Nitric Oxide and Hydrogen Peroxide among Drosophila melanogaster, Apis mellifera, and Mamestra brassicae Immune-Activated Hemocytes after Exposure to Imidacloprid and Amitraz. INSECTS 2023; 14:174. [PMID: 36835742 PMCID: PMC9966094 DOI: 10.3390/insects14020174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Invertebrates have a diverse immune system that responds differently to stressors such as pesticides and pathogens, which leads to different degrees of susceptibility. Honeybees are facing a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder which is attributed to several factors including pesticides and pathogens. We applied an in vitro approach to assess the response of immune-activated hemocytes from Apis mellifera, Drosophila melanogaster and Mamestra brassicae after exposure to imidacloprid and amitraz. Hemocytes were exposed to the pesticides in single and co-exposures using zymosan A for immune activation. We measured the effect of these exposures on cell viability, nitric oxide (NO) production from 15 to 120 min and on extracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production after 3 h to assess potential alterations in the oxidative response. Our results indicate that NO and H2O2 production is more altered in honeybee hemocytes compared to D. melanogaster and M. brassicae cell lines. There is also a differential production at different time points after pesticide exposure between these insect species as contrasting effects were evident with the oxidative responses in hemocytes. The results imply that imidacloprid and amitraz act differently on the immune response among insect orders and may render honeybee colonies more susceptible to infection and pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dani Sukkar
- Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadath 1003, Lebanon
- Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Université de Lorraine, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Philippe Laval-Gilly
- Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Université de Lorraine, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Antoine Bonnefoy
- Plateforme de Recherche, Transfert de Technologie et Innovation (PRTI), Institut Universitaire de Technologie de Thionville-Yutz, Université de Lorraine, 57970 Yutz, France
| | - Sandhya Malladi
- Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Université de Lorraine, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Sabine Azoury
- Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadath 1003, Lebanon
| | - Ali Kanso
- Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadath 1003, Lebanon
| | - Jairo Falla-Angel
- Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Université de Lorraine, 54000 Nancy, France
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Bruckner S, Straub L, Neumann P, Williams GR. Negative but antagonistic effects of neonicotinoid insecticides and ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor on Apis mellifera honey bee food glands. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 313:137535. [PMID: 36521752 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Collaborative brood care by workers is essential for the functionality of eusocial Apis mellifera honey bee colonies. The hypopharyngeal food glands of workers play a crucial role in this context. Even though there is consensus that ubiquitous ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor and widespread insecticides, such as neonicotinoids, are major stressors for honey bee health, their impact alone and in combination on the feeding glands of workers is poorly understood. Here, we show that combined exposure to V. destructor and neonicotinoids antagonistically interacted on hypopharyngeal gland size, yet they did not interact on emergence body mass or survival. While the observed effects of the antagonistic interaction were less negative than expected based on the sum of the individual effects, hypopharyngeal gland size was still significantly reduced. Alone, V. destructor parasitism negatively affected emergence body mass, survival, and hypopharyngeal gland size, whereas neonicotinoid exposure reduced hypopharyngeal gland size only. Since size is associated with hypopharyngeal gland functionality, a reduction could result in inadequate brood care. As cooperative brood care is a cornerstone of eusociality, smaller glands could have adverse down-stream effects on inclusive fitness of honey bee colonies. Therefore, our findings highlight the need to further study how ubiquitous stressors like V. destructor and neonicotinoids interact to affect honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selina Bruckner
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, 301 Funchess Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA.
| | - Lars Straub
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3097, Liebefeld, Switzerland; Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3097, Liebefeld, Switzerland.
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3097, Liebefeld, Switzerland; Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3097, Liebefeld, Switzerland.
| | - Geoffrey R Williams
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, 301 Funchess Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA.
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Drone honey bees are disproportionately sensitive to abiotic stressors despite expressing high levels of stress response proteins. Commun Biol 2022; 5:141. [PMID: 35177754 PMCID: PMC8854713 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03092-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Drone honey bees (Apis mellifera) are the obligate sexual partners of queens, and the availability of healthy, high-quality drones directly affects a queen’s fertility and productivity. Yet, our understanding of how stressors affect adult drone fertility, survival, and physiology is presently limited. Here, we investigated sex biases in susceptibility to abiotic stressors (cold stress, topical imidacloprid exposure, and topical exposure to a realistic cocktail of pesticides). We found that drones (haploid males) were more sensitive to cold and imidacloprid exposure than workers (sterile, diploid females), but the cocktail was not toxic at the concentrations tested. We corroborated this lack of cocktail toxicity with in-hive exposures via pollen feeding. We then used quantitative proteomics to investigate protein expression profiles in the hemolymph of topically exposed workers and drones, and found that 34 proteins were differentially expressed in exposed drones relative to controls, but none were differentially expressed in exposed workers. Contrary to our hypothesis, we show that drones express surprisingly high baseline levels of putative stress response proteins relative to workers. This suggests that drones’ stress tolerance systems are fundamentally rewired relative to workers, and susceptibility to stress depends on more than simply gene dose or allelic diversity. The effect of stress on honey bee drone survival and physiology are largely unknown, but it is hypothesized that increased stress would reduce their survival. Surprisingly, although drones are more likely to die from some stressors than workers, they exhibit higher baseline stress response proteins.
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