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Flupyradifurone Exhibits Greater Toxicity to the Asian Bumblebee Bombus lantschouensis Compared to the European Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
by
, , , and
Chunting Jie
1, 
Hong Zhang
1,*,
Ziyu Zhou
1,
Zhengying Miao
2,
Bo Han
1,
Baodi Guo
1,
Yi Guo
1,
Xiao Hu
1,
Shahid Iqbal
1,
Bingshuai Wei
1,
Jiaxing Huang
1,
Pingli Dai
1 and
Jiandong An
1,* 1
State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Key Laboratory of Insect-Pollinator Biology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
2
Gansu Institute of Apiculture, Gansu Provincial Beekeeping Technology Extension Station, Tianshui 741022, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Insects 2025, 16(5), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16050455
Submission received: 28 February 2025
/
Revised: 21 April 2025
/
Accepted: 24 April 2025
/
Published: 25 April 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bumblebee Biology and Ecology)
Simple Summary
Bumblebee pollination is crucial for maintaining the balance of both natural and agricultural ecosystems. However, a growing body of research indicates a significant decline in bumblebee diversity across numerous countries and regions in recent years. One of the primary drivers of this decline is the widespread use of pesticides, especially neonicotinoids. As a potential alternative to neonicotinoids, flupyradifurone has emerged as a promising agent for pest control, with initial assessments suggesting that it may be relatively safe for bees. Despite this, there is a lack of comprehensive data on the lethal and sublethal effects of flupyradifurone on bumblebees, particularly wild species. This study aims to address this gap by evaluating the toxicity and associated risks of flupyradifurone on the commercially available bumblebee Bombus terrestris and Asian wild species B. lantschouensis. Our findings show that flupyradifurone does not meet the specific protection criteria required for these two bumblebee pollinators, with B. lantschouensis exhibiting greater sensitivity to the pesticide than B. terrestris. This research contributes essential data on the lethal effects and risk assessments of flupyradifurone on B. terrestris and B. lantschouensis, laying the groundwork for further investigations into the environmental impacts of this pesticide on bumblebee populations.
Abstract
Pesticides are considered a major factor in the decline of bee populations. Flupyradifurone, a novel insecticide, is believed to be relatively ‘bee-safe’. This study aims to evaluate the acute and chronic toxicity of flupyradifurone and assess its risks to both commercial bumblebee Bombus terrestris and the Asian native species B. lantschouensis. Oral toxicity tests demonstrated species-specific sensitivity, with B. lantschouensis exhibiting 5.4-fold higher acute toxicity (72-h LD50: 5.1 μg/bee vs. 28 μg/bee) and 3-fold lower chronic toxicity (No Observed Adverse Effect Concentration, NOAEC: 20 μg/mL vs. 60 μg/mL) compared to B. terrestris. Risk assessments indicated low Hazard Quotients (HQ) of 4 for B. terrestris and 20 for B. lantschouensis. However, the Exposure Toxicity Ratio (ETR) values from both screening and first-tier assessments exceeded the trigger levels, necessitating further testing. This study provides crucial data on the acute and chronic toxic effects of flupyradifurone and highlights the need for more comprehensive insecticide risk assessments, particularly for non-Apis pollinators, to better protect these vital species.
Keywords:
bumblebee; acute toxicity; chronic toxicity; risk assessment
