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Hsieh EM, Dolezal AG. Nutrition, pesticide exposure, and virus infection interact to produce context-dependent effects in honey bees (Apis mellifera). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:175125. [PMID: 39084359 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175125] [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: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Declines in pollinator health are frequently hypothesized to be the combined result of multiple interacting biotic and abiotic stressors; namely, nutritional limitations, pesticide exposure, and infection with pathogens and parasites. Despite this hypothesis, most studies examining stressor interactions have been constrained to two concurrent factors, limiting our understanding of multi-stressor dynamics. Using honey bees as a model, we addressed this gap by studying how variable diet, field-realistic levels of multiple pesticides, and virus infection interact to affect survival, infection intensity, and immune and detoxification gene expression. Although we found evidence that agrochemical exposure (a field-derived mixture of chlorpyrifos and two fungicides) can exacerbate infection and increase virus-induced mortality, this result was nutritionally-dependent, only occurring when bees were provided artificial pollen. Provisioning with naturally-collected polyfloral pollen inverted the effect, reducing virus-induced mortality and suggesting a hormetic response. To test if the response was pesticide specific, we repeated our experiment with a pyrethroid (lambda-cyhalothrin) and a neonicotinoid (thiamethoxam), finding variable results. Finally, to understand the underpinnings of these effects, we measured viral load and expression of important immune and detoxification genes. Together, our results show that multi-stressor interactions are complex and highly context-dependent, but have great potential to affect bee health and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward M Hsieh
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801-3795, USA.
| | - Adam G Dolezal
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801-3795, USA
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2
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Urcan AC, Criste AD, Bobiș O, Cornea-Cipcigan M, Giurgiu AI, Dezmirean DS. Evaluation of Functional Properties of Some Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains for Probiotic Applications in Apiculture. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1249. [PMID: 38930631 PMCID: PMC11205645 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study evaluates the suitability of three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains-Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Apilactobacillus kunkeei-for use as probiotics in apiculture. Given the decline in bee populations due to pathogens and environmental stressors, sustainable alternatives to conventional treatments are necessary. This study aimed to assess the potential of these LAB strains in a probiotic formulation for bees through various in vitro tests, including co-culture interactions, biofilm formation, auto-aggregation, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, antibiotic susceptibility, and resistance to high osmotic concentrations. This study aimed to assess both the individual effects of the strains and their combined effects, referred to as the LAB mix. Results indicated no mutual antagonistic activity among the LAB strains, demonstrating their compatibility with multi-strain probiotic formulations. The LAB strains showed significant survival rates under high osmotic stress and simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The LAB mix displayed enhanced biofilm formation, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial efficacy against different bacterial strains. These findings suggest that a probiotic formulation containing these LAB strains could be used for a probiotic formulation, offering a promising approach to mitigating the negative effects of pathogens. Future research should focus on in vivo studies to validate the efficacy of these probiotic bacteria in improving bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Cristina Urcan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.C.U.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Adriana Dalila Criste
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.C.U.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Otilia Bobiș
- Department of Apiculture and Sericulture, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (O.B.); (D.S.D.)
| | - Mihaiela Cornea-Cipcigan
- Department of Horticulture and Landscaping, Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Alexandru-Ioan Giurgiu
- Department of Apiculture and Sericulture, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (O.B.); (D.S.D.)
| | - Daniel Severus Dezmirean
- Department of Apiculture and Sericulture, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (O.B.); (D.S.D.)
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3
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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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4
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Fine JD, Cox-Foster DL, Moor KJ, Chen R, Avalos A. Trisiloxane Surfactants Negatively Affect Reproductive Behaviors and Enhance Viral Replication in Honey Bees. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:222-233. [PMID: 37861380 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Trisiloxane surfactants are often applied in formulated adjuvant products to blooming crops, including almonds, exposing the managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) used for pollination of these crops and persisting in colony matrices, such as bee bread. Despite this, little is known regarding the effects of trisiloxane surfactants on important aspects of colony health, such as reproduction. In the present study, we use laboratory assays to examine how exposure to field-relevant concentrations of three trisiloxane surfactants found in commonly used adjuvant formulations affect queen oviposition rates, worker interactions with the queen, and worker susceptibility to endogenous viral pathogens. Trisiloxane surfactants were administered at 5 mg/kg in pollen supplement diet for 14 days. No effects on worker behavior or physiology could be detected, but our results demonstrate that hydroxy-capped trisiloxane surfactants can negatively affect queen oviposition and methyl-capped trisiloxane surfactants cause increased replication of Deformed Wing Virus in workers, suggesting that trisiloxane surfactant use while honey bees are foraging may negatively impact colony longevity and growth. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:222-233. © 2023 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia D Fine
- US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Invasive Species and Pollinator Health Research Unit, Davis, California, USA
| | - Diana L Cox-Foster
- US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Pollinating Insect Research Unit, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Kyle J Moor
- Utah Water Research Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Ruiwen Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Arian Avalos
- US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
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5
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Erban T, Parizkova K, Sopko B, Talacko P, Markovic M, Jarosova J, Votypka J. Imidacloprid increases the prevalence of the intestinal parasite Lotmaria passim in honey bee workers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166973. [PMID: 37699488 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166973] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
A challenge in bee protection is to assess the risks of pesticide-pathogen interactions. Lotmaria passim, a ubiquitous unicellular parasite in honey bees, is considered harmful under specific conditions. Imidacloprid causes unpredictable side effects. Research indicates that both L. passim and imidacloprid may affect the physiology, behavior, immunity, microbiome and lifespan of honey bees. We designed cage experiments to test whether the infection of L. passim is affected by a sublethal dose of imidacloprid. Workers collected at the time of emergence were exposed to L. passim and 2.5 μg/L imidacloprid in the coexposure treatment group. First, samples of bees were taken from cages since they were 5 days old and 3 days postinfection, i.e., after finishing an artificial 24 h L. passim infection. Additional bees were collected every two additional days. In addition, bees frozen at the time of emergence and collected from the unexposed group were analyzed. Abdomens were analyzed using qPCR to determine parasite load, while corresponding selected heads were subjected to a label-free proteomic analysis. Our results show that bees are free of L. passim at the time of emergence. Furthermore, imidacloprid considerably increased the prevalence as well as parasite loads in individual bees. This means that imidacloprid facilitates infection, enabling faster parasite spread in a colony and potentially to surrounding colonies. The proteomic analysis of bee heads showed that imidacloprid neutralized the increased transferrin 1 expression by L. passim. Importantly, this promising marker has been previously observed to be upregulated by infections, including gut parasites. This study contributes to understanding the side effects of imidacloprid and demonstrates that a single xenobiotic/pesticide compound can interact with the gut parasite. Our methodology can be used to assess the effects of different compounds on L. passim.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Erban
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Prague 6-Ruzyne CZ-161 06, Czechia.
| | - Kamila Parizkova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 1594/7, Prague 2 CZ-128 00, Czechia
| | - Bruno Sopko
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Prague 6-Ruzyne CZ-161 06, Czechia
| | - Pavel Talacko
- Proteomics Core Facility, Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, Prumyslova 595, Vestec CZ-252 50, Czechia
| | - Martin Markovic
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Prague 6-Ruzyne CZ-161 06, Czechia
| | - Jana Jarosova
- Laboratory of Hormonal Regulations in Plants, Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojova 263, Prague 6-Lysolaje CZ-165 02, Czechia
| | - Jan Votypka
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 1594/7, Prague 2 CZ-128 00, Czechia; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 1160/31, Ceske Budejovice CZ-37005, Czechia
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6
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Bischoff K, Moiseff J. The role of the veterinary diagnostic toxicologist in apiary health. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023; 35:597-616. [PMID: 37815239 PMCID: PMC10621547 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231203965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Susceptibility of individuals and groups to toxicants depends on complex interactions involving the host, environment, and other exposures. Apiary diagnostic investigation and honey bee health are truly population medicine: the colony is the patient. Here we provide basic information on the application of toxicology to the testing of domestic honey bees, and, in light of recent research, expand on some of the challenges of interpreting analytical chemistry findings as they pertain to hive health. The hive is an efficiently organized system of wax cells used to store brood, honey, and bee bread, and is protected by the bee-procured antimicrobial compound propolis. Toxicants can affect individual workers outside or inside the hive, with disease processes that range from acute to chronic and subclinical to lethal. Toxicants can impact brood and contaminate honey, bee bread, and structural wax. We provide an overview of important natural and synthetic toxicants to which honey bees are exposed; behavioral, husbandry, and external environmental factors influencing exposure; short- and long-term impacts of toxicant exposure on individual bee and colony health; and the convergent impacts of stress, nutrition, infectious disease, and toxicant exposures on colony health. Current and potential future toxicology testing options are included. Common contaminants in apiary products consumed or used by humans (honey, wax, pollen), their sources, and the potential need for product testing are also noted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karyn Bischoff
- New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer Moiseff
- New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Robi DT, Temteme S, Aleme M, Bogale A, Getachew A, Mendesil E. Epidemiology, factors influencing prevalence and level of varroosis infestation ( Varroa destructor) in honeybee ( Apis mellifera) colonies in different agroecologies of Southwest Ethiopia. Parasite Epidemiol Control 2023; 23:e00325. [PMID: 37711152 PMCID: PMC10498395 DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2023.e00325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Little information is available on the epidemiology of varroosis caused by Varroa mite, Varroa destructor infestation in Ethiopia, although it is a devastating honeybee disease that results in significant economic losses in beekeeping. Therefore, between October 2021 and October 2022, a cross-sectional study was carried out in different agroecology zones in Southwest Ethiopia to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors for varroosis, as well as the effects of this disease on honeybee colonies and honey production. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify possible risk factors for the prevalence of V. destructor. A total of 384 adult honeybee and worker or drone brood samples were collected from honeybee colonies and examined using standard diagnostic techniques in the laboratory. The result shows that the prevalence of V. destructor was found to be 39.3% (95% CI 34.44-44.21) and 43.2% (38.27-48.18) in adult honeybees and brood, respectively. The major risk factors for the prevalence of V. destructor in the study areas included agroecology (OR = 5.2, 95% CI 1.75-14.85), type of hive (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.17-17.03), management system (OR = 4.3, 95% CI 1.23-14.70), and colony management (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.31-9.14). The lower level of colony infestation in adult bees and brood was measured as 1.97 ± 0.14 and 3.19 ± 0.25, respectively. Season, colony status, colony management, and agroecology were among the determinant factors of the level of varroa mite infestation in adult bees and brood. The results of the study demonstrated that honey production losses are largely attributable to V. destructor infestation. Therefore, it is critical to inform the community about the effects of V. destructor on honey production and develop and implement effective management strategies for this disease. In addition, further research should be done to identify and isolate additional factors that contribute to varroosis in honeybees in different regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dereje Tulu Robi
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Tepi Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 34, Tepi, Ethiopia
| | - Shiferaw Temteme
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Tepi Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 34, Tepi, Ethiopia
| | - Melkam Aleme
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Tepi Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 34, Tepi, Ethiopia
| | - Ararsa Bogale
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Holeta Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 2003, Holeta, Ethiopia
| | - Awraris Getachew
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Esayas Mendesil
- Department of Horticulture and Plant Sciences, Jimma University College of Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia
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Reiß F, Schuhmann A, Sohl L, Thamm M, Scheiner R, Noll M. Fungicides and insecticides can alter the microbial community on the cuticle of honey bees. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1271498. [PMID: 37965543 PMCID: PMC10642971 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1271498] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bees are crucial for our ecosystems as pollinators, but the intensive use of plant protection products (PPPs) in agriculture poses a risk for them. PPPs do not only affect target organisms but also affect non-targets, such as the honey bee Apis mellifera and their microbiome. This study is the first of its kind, aiming to characterize the effect of PPPs on the microbiome of the cuticle of honey bees. We chose PPPs, which have frequently been detected in bee bread, and studied their effects on the cuticular microbial community and function of the bees. The effects of the fungicide Difcor® (difenoconazole), the insecticide Steward® (indoxacarb), the combination of both (mix A) and the fungicide Cantus® Gold (boscalid and dimoxystrobin), the insecticide Mospilan® (acetamiprid), and the combination of both (mix B) were tested. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal transcribed spacer region gene-based amplicon sequencing and quantification of gene copy numbers were carried out after nucleic acid extraction from the cuticle of honey bees. The treatment with Steward® significantly affected fungal community composition and function. The fungal gene copy numbers were lower on the cuticle of bees treated with Difcor®, Steward®, and PPP mix A in comparison with the controls. However, bacterial and fungal gene copy numbers were increased in bees treated with Cantus® Gold, Mospilan®, or PPP mix B compared to the controls. The bacterial cuticular community composition of bees treated with Cantus® Gold, Mospilan®, and PPP mix B differed significantly from the control. In addition, Mospilan® on its own significantly changed the bacterial functional community composition. Cantus® Gold significantly affected fungal gene copy numbers, community, and functional composition. Our results demonstrate that PPPs show adverse effects on the cuticular microbiome of honey bees and suggest that PPP mixtures can cause stronger effects on the cuticular community than a PPP alone. The cuticular community composition was more diverse after the PPP mix treatments. This may have far-reaching consequences for the health of honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Reiß
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Coburg, Germany
| | - Antonia Schuhmann
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Leon Sohl
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Coburg, Germany
| | - Markus Thamm
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ricarda Scheiner
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Noll
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Coburg, Germany
- Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Wernecke A, Eckert JH, Bischoff G, Forster R, Pistorius J, Odemer R. A selected organosilicone spray adjuvant does not enhance lethal effects of a pyrethroid and carbamate insecticide on honey bees. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1171817. [PMID: 37324382 PMCID: PMC10267468 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1171817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
As part of the agricultural landscape, non-target organisms, such as bees, may be exposed to a cocktail of agrochemicals including insecticides and spray adjuvants like organosilicone surfactants (OSS). While the risks of insecticides are evaluated extensively in their approval process, in most parts of the world however, authorization of adjuvants is performed without prior examination of the effects on bees. Nevertheless, recent laboratory studies evidence that adjuvants can have a toxicity increasing effect when mixed with insecticides. Therefore, this semi-field study aims to test whether an OSS mixed with insecticides can influence the insecticidal activity causing increased effects on bees and bee colonies under more realistic exposure conditions. To answer this question a pyrethroid (Karate Zeon) and a carbamate (Pirimor Granulat) were applied in a highly bee attractive crop (oil seed rape) during bee flight either alone or mixed with the OSS Break-Thru S 301 at field realistic application rates. The following parameters were assessed: mortality, flower visitation, population and brood development of full-sized bee colonies. Our results show that none of the above mentioned parameters was significantly affected by the insecticides alone or their combination with the adjuvant, except for a reduced flower visitation rate in both carbamate treatments (Tukey-HSD, p < 0.05). This indicates that the OSS did not increase mortality to a biologically relevant extent or any of the parameters observed on honey bees and colonies in this trial. Hence, social buffering may have played a crucial role in increasing thresholds for such environmental stressors. We confirm that the results of laboratory studies on individual bees cannot necessarily be extrapolated to the colony level and further trials with additional combinations are required for a well-founded evaluation of these substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wernecke
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Bee Protection, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jakob H. Eckert
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Bee Protection, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Gabriela Bischoff
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Bee Protection, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rolf Forster
- Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (BVL)—Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jens Pistorius
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Bee Protection, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Richard Odemer
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Bee Protection, Braunschweig, Germany
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10
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Lee E, Vansia R, Phelan J, Lofano A, Smith A, Wang A, Bilodeau GJ, Pernal SF, Guarna MM, Rott M, Griffiths JS. Area Wide Monitoring of Plant and Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera) Viruses in Blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum) Agroecosystems Facilitated by Honey Bee Pollination. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051209. [PMID: 37243295 DOI: 10.3390/v15051209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthy agroecosystems are dependent on a complex web of factors and inter-species interactions. Flowers are hubs for pathogen transmission, including the horizontal or vertical transmission of plant-viruses and the horizontal transmission of bee-viruses. Pollination by the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is critical for industrial fruit production, but bees can also vector viruses and other pathogens between individuals. Here, we utilized commercial honey bee pollination services in blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) farms for a metagenomics-based bee and plant virus monitoring system. Following RNA sequencing, viruses were identified by mapping reads to a reference sequence database through the bioinformatics portal Virtool. In total, 29 unique plant viral species were found at two blueberry farms in British Columbia (BC). Nine viruses were identified at one site in Ontario (ON), five of which were not identified in BC. Ilarviruses blueberry shock virus (BlShV) and prune dwarf virus (PDV) were the most frequently detected viruses in BC but absent in ON, while nepoviruses tomato ringspot virus and tobacco ringspot virus were common in ON but absent in BC. BlShV coat protein (CP) nucleotide sequences were nearly identical in all samples, while PDV CP sequences were more diverse, suggesting multiple strains of PDV circulating at this site. Ten bee-infecting viruses were identified, with black queen cell virus frequently detected in ON and BC. Area-wide bee-mediated pathogen monitoring can provide new insights into the diversity of viruses present in, and the health of, bee-pollination ecosystems. This approach can be limited by a short sampling season, biased towards pollen-transmitted viruses, and the plant material collected by bees can be very diverse. This can obscure the origin of some viruses, but bee-mediated virus monitoring can be an effective preliminary monitoring approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunseo Lee
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
- London Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 4902 Victoria Ave N, Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0, Canada
| | - Raj Vansia
- London Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 4902 Victoria Ave N, Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - James Phelan
- Sidney Laboratory, Centre for Plant Health, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 8801 East Saanich Rd., North Saanich, BC V8L 1H3, Canada
| | - Andrea Lofano
- London Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 4902 Victoria Ave N, Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0, Canada
| | - Adam Smith
- Sidney Laboratory, Centre for Plant Health, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 8801 East Saanich Rd., North Saanich, BC V8L 1H3, Canada
| | - Aiming Wang
- London Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1391 Sandford Street, London, ON N5V 4T3, Canada
| | - Guillaume J Bilodeau
- Ottawa Plant Laboratory, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 3851 Fallowfield Rd., Ottawa, ON K2J 4S1, Canada
| | - Stephen F Pernal
- Beaverlodge Research Farm, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.O. Box 29, Beaverlodge, AB T0H 0C0, Canada
| | - M Marta Guarna
- Beaverlodge Research Farm, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.O. Box 29, Beaverlodge, AB T0H 0C0, Canada
| | - Michael Rott
- Sidney Laboratory, Centre for Plant Health, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 8801 East Saanich Rd., North Saanich, BC V8L 1H3, Canada
| | - Jonathan S Griffiths
- London Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 4902 Victoria Ave N, Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
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11
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Odemer R, Friedrich E, Illies I, Berg S, Pistorius J, Bischoff G. Potential Risk of Residues From Neonicotinoid-Treated Sugar Beet Flowering Weeds to Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.). ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:1167-1177. [PMID: 36861216 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In 2018 the European Union (EU) banned the three neonicotinoid insecticides imidacloprid, clothianidin (CLO), and thiamethoxam (TMX), but they can still be used if an EU Member State issues an emergency approval. Such an approval went into effect in 2021 for TMX-coated sugar beet seeds in Germany. Usually, this crop is harvested before flowering without exposing non-target organisms to the active ingredient or its metabolites. In addition to the approval, strict mitigation measures were imposed by the EU and the German federal states. One of the measures was to monitor the drilling of sugar beet and its impact on the environment. Hence we took residue samples from different bee and plant matrices and at different dates to fully map beet growth in the German states of Lower Saxony, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg. A total of four treated and three untreated plots were surveyed, resulting in 189 samples. Residue data were evaluated using the US Environmental Protection Agency BeeREX model to assess acute and chronic risk to honey bees from the samples, because oral toxicity data are widely available for both TMX and CLO. Within treated plots, we found no residues either in pools of nectar and honey crop samples (n = 24) or dead bee samples (n = 21). Although 13% of beebread and pollen samples and 88% of weed and sugar beet shoot samples were positive, the BeeREX model found no evidence of acute or chronic risk. We also detected neonicotinoid residues in the nesting material of the solitary bee Osmia bicornis, probably from contaminated soil of a treated plot. All control plots were free of residues. Currently, there are insufficient data on wild bee species to allow for an individual risk assessment. In terms of the future use of these highly potent insecticides, therefore, it must be ensured that all regulatory requirements are complied with to mitigate any unintentional exposure. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:1167-1177. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Odemer
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kühn-Institut-Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Elsa Friedrich
- Apicultural State Institute, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Ingrid Illies
- Institute for Bee Research and Beekeeping, Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture, Veitshöchheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Berg
- Institute for Bee Research and Beekeeping, Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture, Veitshöchheim, Germany
| | - Jens Pistorius
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kühn-Institut-Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Gabriela Bischoff
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kühn-Institut-Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Berlin, Germany
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12
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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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13
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Global honeybee health decline factors and potential conservation techniques. Food Secur 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s12571-023-01346-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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14
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Wang D, Lv L, Gao Z, Zhu YC, Weng H, Yang G, Wang Y. Joint toxic effects of thiamethoxam and flusilazole on the adult worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 317:120806. [PMID: 36470454 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120806] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Insect pollinators are routinely exposed to a complex mixture of many pesticides. However, traditional environmental risk assessment is only carried out based on ecotoxicological data of single substances. In this context, we aimed to explore the potential effects when worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) were simultaneously challenged by thiamethoxam (TMX) and flusilazole (FSZ). Results displayed that TMX possessed higher toxicity to A. mellifera (96-h LC50 value of 0.11 mg a. i. L-1) than FSZ (96-h LC50 value of 738 mg a. i. L-1). Furthermore, the mixture of TMX and FSZ exhibited an acute synergistic impact on the pollinators. Meanwhile, the activities of SOD, caspase 3, caspase 9, and PPO, as well as the expressions of six genes (abaecin, dorsal-2, defensin-2, vtg, caspase-1, and CYP6AS14) associated with oxidative stress, immune response, lifespan, cell apoptosis, and detoxification metabolism were noteworthily varied in the individual and mixture challenges than at the baseline level. These data revealed that it is imminently essential to investigate the combined toxicity of pesticides since the toxicity evaluation from individual compounds toward honey bees may underestimate the toxicity in realistic conditions. Overall, the present results could help understand the potential contribution of pesticide mixtures to the decline of bee populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dou Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Lu Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Zhongwen Gao
- Research Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Yu-Cheng Zhu
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS, 38776, USA
| | - Hongbiao Weng
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Guiling Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yanhua Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China.
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15
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Martínez-López V, Ruiz C, De la Rúa P. “Migratory beekeeping and its influence on the prevalence and dispersal of pathogens to managed and wild bees”. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 18:184-193. [PMID: 35663725 PMCID: PMC9160285 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Demand for food is growing along with the human population, leading to an increase in plant production. Many crops are pollinated by insects, so the global demand for managed pollinators is also increasing. The honey bee has traditionally been considered the main provider of crop pollination services. For providing it beekeepers seasonally transport hives to different locations after the flowering of different crops. These movements could be detrimental to pollinators by: i) stressing honey bees, making them more susceptible to pathogens and parasites; ii) spreading bee parasites and pathogens across locations; iii) increasing the transmission of parasites and pathogens between managed and wild pollinators and vice versa (spillover and spillback, respectively). To understand the impact of migratory beekeeping on bee health, we conducted a systematic review to identify the main trends and provide a complete picture of existing knowledge on the subject. We found 52 studies analysing pathogen-related impacts of migratory beekeeping on honey bees. However, only 16 investigations tested the effect of migratory practices on the prevalence and spread of pathogens and parasites. We found no studies that assessed the impact of migratory beekeeping on the occurrence and spread of pests and diseases in wild bees. In general, migratory beekeeping tends to increase the prevalence of pathogens and parasites in honey bee colonies. However, the results were very heterogeneous, probably due to several uncontrolled underlying factors such as management, biological and geographical factors, and the interactions between them. In conclusion, there is an urgent need for studies to assess the impact of migratory beekeeping on bee health, given the current global bee decline and the expected increase in migratory beekeeping due to climate change and crop pollination demand. Migratory beekeeping may affect the health of both managed and wild bees. Only 16 studies compare the prevalence of pathogens between migratory and stationary hives. Results are heterogeneous due to the complex interaction of the underlying factors. Overall, the prevalence of pathogens and parasites increased in migratory honey bees. The impact of migratory beekeeping on the health of wild bees is unknown.
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16
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Straub L, Strobl V, Yañez O, Albrecht M, Brown MJ, Neumann P. Do pesticide and pathogen interactions drive wild bee declines? Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 18:232-243. [PMID: 35800107 PMCID: PMC9253050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
There is clear evidence for wild insect declines globally. Habitat loss, climate change, pests, pathogens and environmental pollution have all been shown to cause detrimental effects on insects. However, interactive effects between these stressors may be the key to understanding reported declines. Here, we review the literature on pesticide and pathogen interactions for wild bees, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest avenues for future research fostering mitigation of the observed declines. The limited studies available suggest that effects of pesticides most likely override effects of pathogens. Bees feeding on flowers and building sheltered nests, are likely less adapted to toxins compared to other insects, which potential susceptibility is enhanced by the reduced number of genes encoding detoxifying enzymes compared with other insect species. However, to date all 10 studies using a fully-crossed design have been conducted in the laboratory on social bees using Crithidia spp. or Nosema spp., identifying an urgent need to test solitary bees and other pathogens. Similarly, since laboratory studies do not necessarily reflect field conditions, semi-field and field studies are essential if we are to understand these interactions and their potential effects in the real-world. In conclusion, there is a clear need for empirical (semi-)field studies on a range of pesticides, pathogens, and insect species to better understand the pathways and mechanisms underlying their potential interactions, in particular their relevance for insect fitness and population dynamics. Such data are indispensable to drive forward robust modelling of interactive effects in different environmental settings and foster predictive science. This will enable pesticide and pathogen interactions to be put into the context of other stressors more broadly, evaluating their relative importance in driving the observed declines of wild bees and other insects. Ultimately, this will enable the development of more effective mitigation measures to protect bees and the ecosystem services they supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Straub
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Verena Strobl
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Mark J.F. Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Bee Research Centre, Agroscope, Bern, Switzerland
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17
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The impact of mass-flowering crops on bee pathogen dynamics. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 18:135-147. [PMID: 35586790 PMCID: PMC9108762 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Nearly two fifths of the Earth's land area is currently used for agriculture, substantially impacting the environment and ecosystems. Besides the direct impact through land use change, intensive agriculture can also have an indirect impact, for example by changing wildlife epidemiology. We review here the potential effects of mass-flowering crops (MFCs), which are rapidly expanding in global cropping area, on the epidemiology of known pathogens in bee pollinators. We bring together the fifty MFCs with largest global area harvested and give an overview of their pollination dependency as well as their impact on bee pollinators. When in bloom these crops provide an abundance of flowers, which can provide nutrition for bees and increase bee reproduction. After their short bloom peak, however, the fields turn into green deserts. These big changes in floral availability strongly affect the plant-pollinator network, which in turn affects the pathogen transmission network, mediated by shared flowers. We address this dual role of flowers provided by MFCs, serving as nutritional resources as well as pathogen transmission spots, and bring together the current knowledge to assess how MFCs could affect pathogen prevalence in bee pollinator communities. MFC can greatly differ in nutritional quality and availability for bees. MFC can alter the pathogen transmission network of bees. MFC can abruptly alter the nutritional landscape during bloom and after.
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18
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Harwood GP, Prayugo V, Dolezal AG. Butenolide Insecticide Flupyradifurone Affects Honey Bee Worker Antiviral Immunity and Survival. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 2:907555. [PMID: 38468795 PMCID: PMC10926552 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2022.907555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Honey bees face many environmental stressors, including exposure to pesticides and pathogens. A novel butenolide pesticide, flupyradifurone, was recently introduced to the US and shown to have a bee-friendly toxicity profile. Like the much-scrutinized neonicotinoids that preceded it, flupyradifurone targets the insect nervous system. Some neonicotinoids have been shown to interfere with antiviral immunity, which raised the concern that similar effects may be observed with flupyradifurone. In this study, we investigated how flupyradifurone and a neonicotinoid, clothianidin, affect the ability of honey bee workers to combat an infection of Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV). We exposed workers to field-realistic doses of the pesticides either with or without co-exposure with the virus, and then tracked survival and changes in viral titers. We repeated the experiment in the spring and fall to look for any seasonal effects. We found that flupyradifurone caused elevated mortality in the fall, but it did not lead to increased virus-induced mortality. Flupyradifurone also appeared to affect virus clearance, as bees co-exposed to the pesticide and virus tended to have higher viral titers after 48 hours than those exposed to the virus alone. Clothianidin had no effect on viral titers, and it actually appeared to increase resistance to viral infection in spring bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyan P. Harwood
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
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19
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Penn HJ, Simone-Finstrom MD, de Guzman LI, Tokarz PG, Dickens R. Colony-Level Viral Load Influences Collective Foraging in Honey Bees. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 2:894482. [PMID: 38468777 PMCID: PMC10926460 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2022.894482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Nutrition is an important component of social insect colony health especially in the face of stressors such as parasitism and viral infections. Honey bees are known to preferentially select nectar and pollen based on macronutrient and phytochemical contents and in response to pathogen loads. However, given that honey bees live in colonies, collective foraging decisions may be impacted directly by forager infection status but also by colony health. This field experiment was conducted to determine if honey bee viral infections are correlated with pollen and nectar foraging and if these associations are impacted more by colony or forager infection. By comparing regressions with and without forager and colony variables and through structural equation models, we were able to determine the relative contributions of colony and forager virus loads on forager decisions. We found that foragers had higher numbers and levels of BQCV and CBPV but lower levels of DWV viruses than their respective colonies. Overall, individuals appeared to forage based a combination of their own and colony health but with greater weight given to colony metrics. Colony parasitism by Varroa mites, positively correlated with both forager and colony DWV-B levels, was negatively associated with nectar weight. Further, colony DWV-B levels were negatively associated with individually foraged pollen protein: lipid ratios but positively correlated with nectar weight and sugar content. This study shows that both colony and forager health can simultaneously mediate individual foraging decisions and that the importance of viral infections and parasite levels varies with foraging metrics. Overall, this work highlights the continued need to explore the interactions of disease, nutrition, and genetics in social interactions and structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J. Penn
- USDA ARS, Sugarcane Research Unit, Houma, LA, United States
| | - Michael D. Simone-Finstrom
- USDA ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Lilia I. de Guzman
- USDA ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Philip G. Tokarz
- USDA ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Rachel Dickens
- USDA ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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20
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Piot N, Smagghe G. Critical View on the Importance of Host Defense Strategies on Virus Distribution of Bee Viruses: What Can We Learn from SARS-CoV-2 Variants? Viruses 2022; 14:503. [PMID: 35336909 PMCID: PMC8951442 DOI: 10.3390/v14030503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bees, both wild and domesticated ones, are hosts to a plethora of viruses, with most of them infecting a wide range of bee species and genera. Although viral discovery and research on bee viruses date back over 50 years, the last decade is marked by a surge of new studies, new virus discoveries, and reports on viral transmission in and between bee species. This steep increase in research on bee viruses was mainly initiated by the global reports on honeybee colony losses and the worldwide wild bee decline, where viruses are regarded as one of the main drivers. While the knowledge gained on bee viruses has significantly progressed in a short amount of time, we believe that integration of host defense strategies and their effect on viral dynamics in the multi-host viral landscape are important aspects that are currently still missing. With the large epidemiological dataset generated over the last two years on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the role of these defense mechanisms in shaping viral dynamics has become eminent. Integration of these dynamics in a multi-host system would not only greatly aid the understanding of viral dynamics as a driver of wild bee decline, but we believe bee pollinators and their viruses provide an ideal system to study the multi-host viruses and their epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Piot
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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21
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Honey bees and climate explain viral prevalence in wild bee communities on a continental scale. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1904. [PMID: 35115568 PMCID: PMC8814194 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05603-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are omnipresent, yet the knowledge on drivers of viral prevalence in wild host populations is often limited. Biotic factors, such as sympatric managed host species, as well as abiotic factors, such as climatic variables, are likely to impact viral prevalence. Managed and wild bees, which harbor several multi-host viruses with a mostly fecal-oral between-species transmission route, provide an excellent system with which to test for the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on viral prevalence in wild host populations. Here we show on a continental scale that the prevalence of three broad host viruses: the AKI-complex (Acute bee paralysis virus, Kashmir bee virus and Israeli acute paralysis virus), Deformed wing virus, and Slow bee paralysis virus in wild bee populations (bumble bees and solitary bees) is positively related to viral prevalence of sympatric honey bees as well as being impacted by climatic variables. The former highlights the need for good beekeeping practices, including Varroa destructor management to reduce honey bee viral infection and hive placement. Furthermore, we found that viral prevalence in wild bees is at its lowest at the extreme ends of both temperature and precipitation ranges. Under predicted climate change, the frequency of extremes in precipitation and temperature will continue to increase and may hence impact viral prevalence in wild bee communities.
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22
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Virome Analysis Reveals Diverse and Divergent RNA Viruses in Wild Insect Pollinators in Beijing, China. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020227. [PMID: 35215821 PMCID: PMC8877953 DOI: 10.3390/v14020227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect pollinators provide major pollination services for wild plants and crops. Honeybee viruses can cause serious damage to honeybee colonies. However, viruses of other wild pollinating insects have yet to be fully explored. In the present study, we used RNA sequencing to investigate the viral diversity of 50 species of wild pollinating insects. A total of 3 pathogenic honeybee viruses, 8 previously reported viruses, and 26 novel viruses were identified in sequenced samples. Among these, 7 novel viruses were shown to be closely related to honeybee pathogenic viruses, and 4 were determined to have potential pathogenicity for their hosts. The viruses detected in wild insect pollinators were mainly from the order Picornavirales and the families Orthomyxoviridae, Sinhaliviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Flaviviridae. Our study expanded the species range of known insect pollinator viruses, contributing to future efforts to protect economic honeybees and wild pollinating insects.
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23
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Wang Y, Zhu YC, Li W, Yao J, Reddy GVP, Lv L. Binary and ternary toxicological interactions of clothianidin and eight commonly used pesticides on honey bees (Apis mellifera). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 223:112563. [PMID: 34343900 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Although many toxicological evaluations have been conducted for honey bees (Apis mellifera), most of these studies have only focused on the effects of individual chemicals. However, honey bees are usually exposed to pesticide mixtures under field conditions. In this study, we examined the effects of individual pesticides and mixtures of clothianidin (CLO) with eight other pesticides [carbaryl (CAR), thiodicarb (THI), chlorpyrifos (CHL), beta-cyfluthrin (BCY), gamma-cyhalothrin (GCY), tetraconazole (TET), spinosad (SPI) and indoxacarb (IND)] on honey bees using a feeding method. Toxicity tests of a 4-day exposure to individual pesticides revealed that CLO had the highest toxicity to A. mellifera, with an LC50 value of 0.24 μg a.i. mL-1, followed by IND and CHL with LC50 values of 3.40 and 3.56 μg a.i. mL-1, respectively. SPI and CAR had relatively low toxicities, with LC50 values of 7.19 and 8.42 μg a.i. mL-1, respectively. In contrast, TET exhibited the least toxicity, with an LC50 value of 258.7 μg a.i. mL-1. Most binary mixtures of CLO with other pesticides exerted additive and antagonistic effects. However, all the ternary mixtures containing CLO and TET (except for CLO+TET+THD) elicited synergistic responses to bees. Either increased numbers of components in the mixture or/and a unique mode of action appeared to be responsible for the higher toxicity of mixtures. Our findings emphasized the need for risk assessment of pesticide mixtures rather than the individual chemicals. Our data also provided information that might help growers avoid increased toxicity and unnecessary injury to pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhua Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residue and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, PR China; United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA
| | - Yu-Cheng Zhu
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA.
| | - Wenhong Li
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA; Guizhou Institute of Plant Protection, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, Guizhou, PR China
| | - Jianxiu Yao
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA; Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Gadi V P Reddy
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA
| | - Lu Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residue and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
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Litsey EM, Chung S, Fine JD. The Behavioral Toxicity of Insect Growth Disruptors on Apis mellifera Queen Care. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.729208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As social insects, honey bees (Apis mellifera) rely on the coordinated performance of various behaviors to ensure that the needs of the colony are met. One of the most critical of these behaviors is the feeding and care of egg laying honey bee queens by non-fecund female worker attendants. These behaviors are crucial to honey bee reproduction and are known to be elicited by the queen’s pheromone blend. The degree to which workers respond to this blend can vary depending on their physiological status, but little is known regarding the impacts of developmental exposure to agrochemicals on this behavior. This work investigated how exposing workers during larval development to chronic sublethal doses of insect growth disruptors affected their development time, weight, longevity, and queen pheromone responsiveness as adult worker honey bees. Exposure to the juvenile hormone analog pyriproxyfen consistently shortened the duration of pupation, and pyriproxyfen and diflubenzuron inconsistently reduced the survivorship of adult bees. Finally, pyriproxyfen and methoxyfenozide treated bees were found to be less responsive to queen pheromone relative to other treatment groups. Here, we describe these results and discuss their possible physiological underpinnings as well as their potential impacts on honey bee reproduction and colony performance.
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25
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Kabbani N, Olds JL. Nicotinic receptor targeting in physiological and environmental vulnerability: A whole of biosphere perspective. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 780:146642. [PMID: 34001335 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146642] [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: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We propose a biosphere model of convergent interactions between nicotine and neonicotinoids (neonics) within a related framework of nicotinic receptor targeting agents (NrTA) across the globe. We explore how rising global trends in the use nicotine as well as neonics impacts vulnerability, within and across species, and posit that evolutionary conservation at the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) provides an operational strategy map for pathogens and disease. Furthermore, we examine the effects of NrTA exposure on balance within extant and developing ecological niches, food chains, and human societies. We advocate for a global strategy for biomonitoring across agriculture, wildlife, and human centers. Such a strategy would relate emergent pathogenic and infectious diseases, amongst others, along a tractable biological stress pathway. This new framework aims to better prepare society in the face of emergent pandemics through 1. identifying primary chemical drivers that can impact emergent diseases; 2. outlining data-driven strategy options for health and environmental policy decision makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Kabbani
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, USA.
| | - James L Olds
- Schar School for Policy and Government, George Mason University, USA
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26
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Advances in Honey Bee Virus Research. Viruses 2020; 12:v12101149. [PMID: 33050489 PMCID: PMC7600749 DOI: 10.3390/v12101149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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