Some researchers at Imperial College London have discovered that certain pesticides cause permanent brain damage in baby bumblebees and can threaten the future success of colonies.
The study analyzed the brains of bees exposed to imidacloprid, one of the neonicotinoid pesticides.
They discovered that the key region of the brain that facilitates learning showed reduced growth, and that insecticide residues in flowers and plants caused permanent brain damage.
The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, involved exposing bumblebees to small amounts of imidacloprid during their development as larvae or very young adults.
The learning ability of the larvae was tested after three days and after 12 days once they emerged as adults.
Bees that were fed imidacloprid when they developed as larvae showed “significantly reduced learning ability” compared to those that were not, the researchers said.
The team then scanned the brains of nearly 100 bees from different colonies.
They discovered that the small bees exposed to imidacloprid during larval development had a smaller volume in the brain region associated with learning.
Dr. Richard Gill, of Imperial’s life sciences department and lead researcher for the study, said, “Bee colonies act like superorganisms, so when a toxin enters the colony, they These have the potential to cause problems with the baby’s development.
“What is worrisome in this case is that when young bees are fed food contaminated with pesticides, this has resulted in less growth of parts of the brain, which has led to older bees having brains. smaller and functionally altered; an effect that seemed permanent and irreversible.
“These results reveal how colonies can be affected by pesticides weeks after exposure, when their young become adults who may not be able to eat properly.”
Imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide that acts on the central nervous system of insects. The chemical works by interfering with the transmission of stimuli in the nervous system of insects and has been created to mimic the effects of nicotine, which is found naturally in many plants and is toxic to insects.
It is one of three neonicotinoids banned from all field crops in the EU due to its impact on pollinators, but it is used elsewhere in the world.
The lead author of the new study, Dr. Dylan Smith of Imperial College, said, “There is growing evidence that pesticides can accumulate inside bee colonies.
“Our study reveals the risks to individuals raised in such an environment, and that the future workforce of a colony may be affected weeks after their first exposure.”
Some researchers at Imperial College London have discovered that certain pesticides cause permanent brain damage in baby bumblebees and can threaten the future success of colonies.
The study analyzed the brains of bees exposed to imidacloprid, one of the neonicotinoid pesticides.
They discovered that the key region of the brain that facilitates learning showed reduced growth, and that insecticide residues in flowers and plants caused permanent brain damage.
The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, involved exposing bumblebees to small amounts of imidacloprid during their development as larvae or very young adults.
The learning ability of the larvae was tested after three days and after 12 days once they emerged as adults.
Bees that were fed imidacloprid when they developed as larvae showed “significantly reduced learning ability” compared to those that were not, the researchers said.
The team then scanned the brains of nearly 100 bees from different colonies.
They discovered that the small bees exposed to imidacloprid during larval development had a smaller volume in the brain region associated with learning.
Dr. Richard Gill, of Imperial’s life sciences department and lead researcher for the study, said, “Bee colonies act like superorganisms, so when a toxin enters the colony, they These have the potential to cause problems with the baby’s development.
“What is worrisome in this case is that when young bees are fed food contaminated with pesticides, this has resulted in less growth of parts of the brain, which has led to older bees having brains. smaller and functionally altered; an effect that seemed permanent and irreversible.
“These results reveal how colonies can be affected by pesticides weeks after exposure, when their young become adults who may not be able to eat properly.”
Imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide that acts on the central nervous system of insects. The chemical works by interfering with the transmission of stimuli in the nervous system of insects and has been created to mimic the effects of nicotine, which is found naturally in many plants and is toxic to insects.
It is one of three neonicotinoids banned from all field crops in the EU due to its impact on pollinators, but it is used elsewhere in the world.
The lead author of the new study, Dr. Dylan Smith of Imperial College, said, “There is growing evidence that pesticides can accumulate inside bee colonies.
“Our study reveals the risks to individuals raised in such an environment, and that the future workforce of a colony may be affected weeks after their first exposure.”