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Differential insecticide susceptibility of the Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata and the honey bee Apis mellifera

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Abstract

The toxicity of three insecticides frequently used in Neotropical tomato cultivation (abamectin, deltamethrin, and methamidophos) was estimated on foragers of the Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata (Lep.) and the honey bee Apis mellifera (L.). Our results showed that the susceptibility varied significantly with the type of exposure (ingestion, topical, or contact), and there were significant differences between species. While M. quadrifasciata was usually more susceptible to insecticides (except for abamectin) in realistic exposures (via ingestion and contact) than A. mellifera, the former was less susceptible than A. mellifera to topically applied insecticides, a less realistic means of insecticide exposure. These findings challenge the common extrapolation of toxicity bioassays with A. mellifera to all (native) bee pollinators. Such equivocated extrapolation may compromise the significant services provided by native bees in Neotropical ecosystems.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Arthur Bernardes Foundation (FUNARBE), Minas Gerais State Foundation for Research Aid (FAPEMIG), the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and the CAPES Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-000, Brazil

    Mário César L. Del Sarto, Eugênio E. Oliveira & Raul Narciso C. Guedes

  2. Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-000, Brazil

    Lúcio Antônio O. Campos

Authors
  1. Mário César L. Del Sarto
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  2. Eugênio E. Oliveira
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  3. Raul Narciso C. Guedes
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  4. Lúcio Antônio O. Campos
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Correspondence to Eugênio E. Oliveira.

Additional information

Manuscript editor: Monique Gauthier

Différence de susceptibilité aux insecticides entre l’abeille sans aiguillon néotropicale Melipona quadrifasciata et l’abeille domestique Apis mellifera

Exposition à un insecticide / toxicité aigüe / pollinisateur / abeille sauvage

Unterschiedliche Empfindlichkeit gegenüber Insektiziden bei der neotropischen stachellosen Biene Melipona quadrifasciata und der Honigbiene Apis mellifera

Insektizidbelastung / akute Toxizität / Vibrationsbestäubung / wildlebende Bienen

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Del Sarto, M.C.L., Oliveira, E.E., Guedes, R.N.C. et al. Differential insecticide susceptibility of the Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata and the honey bee Apis mellifera . Apidologie 45, 626–636 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-014-0281-6

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