Ecotoxicity of neonicotinoid insecticides to bees

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2010:683:85-95. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-6445-8_8.

Abstract

This chapter reviews the available data on the toxicity of neonicotinoid insecticides to bees that are the prominent and the most economically important group of pollinators worldwide. Classical and new methods developed to take into account the characteristics and different types of effects of the neonicotinoid insecticides to bees are described. The available toxicity results are critically analyzed. Thus, the nitro-substituted compounds (clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and its metabolites, thiamethoxam, nitenpyram) appear the most toxic to bees. The cyano-substituted neonicotinoids seem to exhibit a much lower toxicity (acetamiprid and thiacloprid). The chapter ends with suggestions for additional studies aiming at better assess the hazard of this important insecticide family to bees.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bees / drug effects*
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Ecotoxicology*
  • Insecticides / chemistry*
  • Insecticides / toxicity*
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Insecticides