Study showed that stingless bees were more susceptible to insecticides than honeybees (A. Mellifera, in photo above) (Image by Thomas Bresson via Flickr CC 2.0)
Some chemicals used in agriculture can be a threat to key pollinators like bees, which can put entire plant species at risk of extinction. A new study tested the effect of insecticides, fungicides and their various combinations on two bee species: the Africanized honeybee and the stingless bee. Results showed that the stingless bees are more susceptible to insecticides than honeybees. Additionally, researchers tested a few combinations of agrichemicals to see what effect they had on each species.
Authors:
Hudson V. V. Tomé, Gabryele S. Ramos, Micaele F. Araújo, Weyder C. Santana, Gil R. Santos, Raul Narciso C. Guedes, Carlos D. Maciel, Philip L. Newland, Eugênio E. Oliveira
Corresponding author:
Eugenio Eduardo de Oliveira, Universidade Federal de Vicosa, Email: oliveireugenio@gmail.com, Tel: +55 31 3899 2691
Original paper published in Royal Society Open Science on January 18, 2017.
