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Neonicotinoid pesticide reduces bumble bee colony growth and queen production

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

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Neonicotinoid pesticide reduces bumble bee colony growth and queen production. / Whitehorn, Penelope R.; O'Connor, Stephanie; Wackers, Felix L. et al.
In: Science, Vol. 336, No. 6079, 20.04.2012, p. 351-352.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Whitehorn, PR, O'Connor, S, Wackers, FL & Goulson, D 2012, 'Neonicotinoid pesticide reduces bumble bee colony growth and queen production', Science, vol. 336, no. 6079, pp. 351-352. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1215025

APA

Whitehorn, P. R., O'Connor, S., Wackers, F. L., & Goulson, D. (2012). Neonicotinoid pesticide reduces bumble bee colony growth and queen production. Science, 336(6079), 351-352. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1215025

Vancouver

Whitehorn PR, O'Connor S, Wackers FL, Goulson D. Neonicotinoid pesticide reduces bumble bee colony growth and queen production. Science. 2012 Apr 20;336(6079):351-352. doi: 10.1126/science.1215025

Author

Whitehorn, Penelope R. ; O'Connor, Stephanie ; Wackers, Felix L. et al. / Neonicotinoid pesticide reduces bumble bee colony growth and queen production. In: Science. 2012 ; Vol. 336, No. 6079. pp. 351-352.

Bibtex

@article{0ba93423b00e4dd68a9777f4fd5665d8,
title = "Neonicotinoid pesticide reduces bumble bee colony growth and queen production",
abstract = "Growing evidence for declines in bee populations has caused great concern because of the valuable ecosystem services they provide. Neonicotinoid insecticides have been implicated in these declines because they occur at trace levels in the nectar and pollen of crop plants. We exposed colonies of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris in the laboratory to field-realistic levels of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, then allowed them to develop naturally under field conditions. Treated colonies had a significantly reduced growth rate and suffered an 85% reduction in production of new queens compared with control colonies. Given the scale of use of neonicotinoids, we suggest that they may be having a considerable negative impact on wild bumble bee populations across the developed world.",
keywords = "Animals, Bees, Feeding Behavior, Female, Imidazoles, Insecticides, Male, Nitro Compounds, Pollen, Population Dynamics, Random Allocation, Reproduction, Weight Gain",
author = "Whitehorn, {Penelope R.} and Stephanie O'Connor and Wackers, {Felix L.} and Dave Goulson",
year = "2012",
month = apr,
day = "20",
doi = "10.1126/science.1215025",
language = "English",
volume = "336",
pages = "351--352",
journal = "Science",
issn = "0036-8075",
publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",
number = "6079",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Neonicotinoid pesticide reduces bumble bee colony growth and queen production

AU - Whitehorn, Penelope R.

AU - O'Connor, Stephanie

AU - Wackers, Felix L.

AU - Goulson, Dave

PY - 2012/4/20

Y1 - 2012/4/20

N2 - Growing evidence for declines in bee populations has caused great concern because of the valuable ecosystem services they provide. Neonicotinoid insecticides have been implicated in these declines because they occur at trace levels in the nectar and pollen of crop plants. We exposed colonies of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris in the laboratory to field-realistic levels of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, then allowed them to develop naturally under field conditions. Treated colonies had a significantly reduced growth rate and suffered an 85% reduction in production of new queens compared with control colonies. Given the scale of use of neonicotinoids, we suggest that they may be having a considerable negative impact on wild bumble bee populations across the developed world.

AB - Growing evidence for declines in bee populations has caused great concern because of the valuable ecosystem services they provide. Neonicotinoid insecticides have been implicated in these declines because they occur at trace levels in the nectar and pollen of crop plants. We exposed colonies of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris in the laboratory to field-realistic levels of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, then allowed them to develop naturally under field conditions. Treated colonies had a significantly reduced growth rate and suffered an 85% reduction in production of new queens compared with control colonies. Given the scale of use of neonicotinoids, we suggest that they may be having a considerable negative impact on wild bumble bee populations across the developed world.

KW - Animals

KW - Bees

KW - Feeding Behavior

KW - Female

KW - Imidazoles

KW - Insecticides

KW - Male

KW - Nitro Compounds

KW - Pollen

KW - Population Dynamics

KW - Random Allocation

KW - Reproduction

KW - Weight Gain

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84859988257&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.1215025

DO - 10.1126/science.1215025

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22461500

VL - 336

SP - 351

EP - 352

JO - Science

JF - Science

SN - 0036-8075

IS - 6079

ER -