Field trial for evaluating the effects on honeybees of corn sown using Cruiser and Celest xl treated seeds.
A first field study was conducted to investigate the possible adverse effects that seeds dressed with neonicotinoid insecticides pose to honeybees during sowing. It was observed that in the exposure hives bee mortality increased on the day of sowing and that the number of foraging bees decreased the days after the sowing. The corn sowing posed a significant threat to honeybees, with thiamethoxam being the most probable toxic agent. A theoretical contact exposure was calculated for a bee when flying over the sown fields, revealing a dose of 9.2 ng bee(-1) close to the contact LD(50) of thiamethoxam.
Tremolada
Paolo
P
Department of Biology, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy. paolo.tremolada@unimi.it
Mazzoleni
Marta
M
Saliu
Francesco
F
Colombo
Mario
M
Vighi
Marco
M
D000383:Agriculture; D000409:Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000187:drug effects*; D004149:Dioxoles / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D010078:Oxazines / Q000633:toxicity*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000633:toxicity*; D012639:Seeds; D000077922:Thiamethoxam; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000633:toxicity*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development
D004149:Dioxoles; D007306:Insecticides; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D010078:Oxazines; D011758:Pyrroles; D013844:Thiazoles; C028175:metalaxyl; D000077922:Thiamethoxam; C108339:fludioxonil; D000409:Alanine