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Dryad

Data from: Bumblebees prefer sulfoxaflor contaminated food and show caste-specific differences in sulfoxaflor sensitivity

Data files

Jan 15, 2025 version files 19.36 KB

Abstract

More than 30% of human food crop yield requires animal pollination. In addition, successful crop production depends on agrochemicals to control pests. However, agrochemicals can have negative consequences on beneficial insect pollinators, such as bees. We investigated the effects of an emerging class of pesticides, sulfoximines, on the common eastern bumblebee, Bombus impatiens. We performed a series of 96-hour toxicity tests on microcolonies of laboratory-reared B. impatiens. Our data showed that sulfoxaflor is significantly less toxic to B. impatiens than historically used neonicotinoid pesticides, such as thiamethoxam. Further, for the first time, we found significant differences among caste sensitivity to sulfoxaflor; workers and drones were more sensitive than queens. These findings are notable because they reveal both caste and sex-specific differences in bumblebee sensitivity to pesticides. Interestingly, we found no evidence that bumblebees avoid sulfoxaflor-contaminated sugar syrup. To the contrary, B. impatiens workers had an apparent preference for sulfoxaflor-contaminated sugar syrup over sugar syrup alone. Overall, our investigation provides novel information on an important pesticide and may help inform regulatory decisions regarding pesticide use.