Work

Romance in peril: A common pesticide impairs mating behaviours and male fertility of solitary bees (Osmia bicornis)

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Mating behaviour and fertility are strong selective forces, driving the reproductive trends of animals. Mating disorders may therefore contribute to the recent decline in insect and pollinators health worldwide. While the impact of pesticides on pollinators is widely considered as a driving factor for reducing pollinators health, their effect on mating behaviour and male fertility remains widely overlooked. Here, we assessed the effects of field-realistic exposure to a common pesticide used as a neonicotinoid substitute worldwide, sulfoxaflor, on the behaviour and male physiology of the solitary bee, Osmia bicornis . We measured a variety of parameters focusing on behaviours occurring before, and during mating, as well as sperm quantity. For the first time, we demonstrate that short-term chronic, field-realistic exposure to a common pesticide reduced pre-copulatory display (−36 %) and sounds (−27 %), increased the number of copulations (+110 %) and the mating duration (+166 %), while finally reducing sperm quantity (−25 %) and mating success (−43 %). Our research raises considerable concern on the impact of field-realistic, low sublethal pesticide levels on the fertility and reproductive success of pollinators. Assessing the impact of pesticides on fitness parameters and implementing more sustainable agricultural solutions would allow mitigating the ongoing threat of pesticide pollution on wild insect populations and the broader environment. • Field-realistic levels of common pesticide (sulfoxaflor) widely impaired bee health. • Pesticide exposure increased food consumption (+27 %), mating duration (+166 %). • Pesticide exposure reduced courtship behaviours (up to −36 %), mating success (−43 %). • Pesticide exposure altered bee physiology, reducing sperm quantity (−25 %). • Field-realistic pesticide levels can alter fertility, reproduction of pollinators.

Source: Chemosphere

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144335

Authors: Luis Vélez-Trujillo, Luca Carisio, Ewa Popiela, Lars Straub, Simone Tosi

Institutions: University of Turin, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Bern, Royal Holloway University of London

Language: English

Topic: Insect and Pesticide Research

Subfield: Insect Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,010