Bee colony losses in Brazil: a 5-year online survey

Castilhos, Dayson; Bergamo, Genevile Carife; Gramacho, Kátia Peres; Gonçalves, Lionel Segui

doi:10.1007/s13592-019-00642-7

Cited by 50 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…We sought to identify and quantify compounds present in samples of apparently poisoned honeybees, with an emphasis on neonicotinoid and fipronil insecticides, to confirm involvement of compounds speculated to have killed honeybees (Castilhos et al 2019). Multiple insecticides were detected, with frequent detection of fipronil and neonicotinoids at lethal levels (>LD 50 ) in these insects.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Honeybees that pollinated melon plantations had, on average, 5.9 μg/kg of acetamiprid, 26.8 μg/kg of imidacloprid, and 6.0 μg/kg of thiamethoxam; these concentrations were sufficient to cause adverse effects on bees (Silva et al 2015). Many other authors strongly suggested that pollination of agricultural crops poses high risk to honeybees and may reduce their life expectancy (Castilhos et al 2019;dos Santos et al 2018;Pohorecka et al 2017;Simon-Delso et al 2017). In Brazil, bee colony losses were speculated to be caused by intense use of pesticides in agricultural areas (Castilhos et al 2019;dos Santos et al 2018;Rosa et al 2015; UNESP, UFSCAR 2018).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are indications that widespread use of neonicotinoid and fipronil insecticides in agricultural landscapes is associated with intense colony loss events nationwide (Castilhos et al 2019;Gonçalves and Castilhos 2015a, b;Pires et al 2016;UNESP, UFSCAR 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neonicotinoids and fipronil concentrations in honeybees associated with pesticide use in Brazilian agricultural areas

et al. 2019

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Brazil leads global lists of honeybee colony losses in South America as well as pesticide use, according to a web-based survey (http://www.nobeenofood.com/beealert). In association with that survey, Africanized honeybee (Apis mellifera ) samples were opportunistically collected when bee poisoning was apparently linked to pesticide use in crops. The objective was to determine concentrations of fipronil and neonicotinoids in live and dead honeybees, in areas where these compounds are widely used in agriculture. Pesticide residues in honeybees (54 live and 60 dead composite samples) were detected with mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS using QuEChERS methodology). Toxicological analyses in both matrices detected multiple contaminations with highest indices by fipronil with frequency of 55.3% and amplitude (0.7-23,539.7 ng/g), thiamethoxam 20.2% (0.6-13.6 ng/g), imidacloprid 3.5% (4.5-16.2 ng/g), nitenpyram 1.8% (3.8-7.4 ng/g), and thiacloprid 0.9% (1.6 ng/g). Neonicotinoids and fipronil residues had higher frequencies and amplitudes in honeybees collected near sugarcane plantations and orange orchards in northwest São Paulo state and other agro-industrial rural landscapes across the country dominated with fields of soybean, corn, and tropical fruit crops. These systemic pesticides were presumed to be primary mechanisms of honeybee colony losses in Brazil, according to a recently published 5-year survey by the same authors and reinforced by current analyses.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neonicotinoids and fipronil concentrations in honeybees associated with pesticide use in Brazilian agricultural areas

et al. 2019

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“…In Brazil, a large decline in bee populations and the collapse in Apis mellifera colonies have been reported (Pires et al, 2016). In fact, over a 5-year period the loss of ~ 1 billion bees was estimated in Brazil, including honeybees, stingless bees, and solitary ones (Castilhos et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of recent Brazilian policy and legislation on increasing bee mortality

Nunes

Schmitz

Moura

et al. 2021

RSD

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The decline in bee communities in recent years has been a major concern worldwide. The increase in the mortality of these pollinators is related to several factors, the main one being the intensive use of pesticides in agricultural crops. Brazil is the world leader in use of pesticides since 2008 and recent changes in legislation have facilitated the commercialization of certain pesticides whose marketing has been banned in several countries. This review addresses how current Brazilian legislation on agrochemicals has influenced the increase in bee mortality. Under the current federal government, in 2019 and 2020, 474 and 493 new pesticides were registered in the country, respectively, some of them classified as highly toxic to bees. In addition, public policies in Brazil led by certain sectors of agribusiness have also contributed to increase the number of threats and the mortality of bees, making it difficult for the beekeeping sector to act in opposition. Understanding how these policies directly affect pollinator conservation allows decision-making to help mitigate their environmental and economic impacts in Brazil. Otherwise, without effective actions to mitigate the abusive use of pesticides, the numerous studies demonstrating its direct impacts on the bee’s survival will be of no use.

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“…In recent decades, efforts to increase knowledge about bees have been performed in response to the rapid decline and collapse of their populations (Freitas et al, 2009;Potts et al, 2016;Nielsen et al, 2017;Castilhos et al, 2019). The most probable causes for this worldwide phenomenon are the use of pesticides in the agriculture, infections by pathogens, and habitat fragmentation (Cortopassi-Laurino et al, 2006;Del Sarto et al, in tropics (Michener, 2007(Michener, , 2013Cortopassi-Laurino & Nogueira-Neto, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural Changes in the Male Reproductive Tract of the Stingless Bee Scaptotrigona xanthotricha Moure 1950 (Meliponini, Apidae) During Sexual Maturation

et al. 2020

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Stingless bees are social insects widely distributed in the Neotropical region but the loss of habitats and the increased use of pesticides in agriculture have threatened the bee populations. Thus, the knowledge of the biology of these insects, including reproductive biology is important for their conservation and management. This study describes the morphological changes in the male reproductive tract during the sexual maturation in the stingless bee Scaptotrigona xanthotricha (Moure 1950). The reproductive tract was investigated under light microscopy from young pupae to 22 days old adults. The male reproductive organs in S. xanthotricha are a pair of testes, each with four follicles, pair of vasa deferentia with enlarged region forming the seminal vesicle that open in an ejaculatory duct. In the male reproductive system of these bees there is no structure that can be recognized as accessory glands as seen in insects in general. From brown-eyed pupae to newly-emerged adults, the epithelia of the seminal vesicles and post-vesicular vasa deferentia have prismatic cells that release secretion to the organs lumen. In 5-days old adults the testes undergo degeneration, the seminal vesicles filled with secretion and spermatozoa, and the epithelium has cubic cells rich in inclusions in the basal region suggesting that this is the age in which males reach the sexual maturation. Structural modifications in the reproductive tract during sexual maturation are discussed concerning the reproductive biology of Meliponini.

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Bee colony losses in Brazil: a 5-year online survey

Cited by 50 publications

References 28 publications

Neonicotinoids and fipronil concentrations in honeybees associated with pesticide use in Brazilian agricultural areas

Neonicotinoids and fipronil concentrations in honeybees associated with pesticide use in Brazilian agricultural areas

The influence of recent Brazilian policy and legislation on increasing bee mortality

Structural Changes in the Male Reproductive Tract of the Stingless Bee Scaptotrigona xanthotricha Moure 1950 (Meliponini, Apidae) During Sexual Maturation

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