Volatilized prallethrin impairs the homing ability of bumblebees




Kaakinen, Kimmo; Loukola, Olli Juhana; Vaajamo, Eva-Maria; Helander, Marjo

PublisherThe Royal Society

2026

 Biology Letters

20250749

22

4

1744-9561

1744-957X

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2025.0749

https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2025.0749

https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/523057606



Pollinator decline is one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time, and pesticide use is considered a major contributing factor. In this study, we investigated whether exposure to volatilized prallethrin, a widely used insecticide, impairs the homing ability of bumblebees. Using a consumer-grade vaporizing device, we exposed foraging bees to field-realistic doses of prallethrin and then tested their ability to return to their colony in a rural area where they were already familiar with the surroundings. Our results show that longer exposure durations reduced the bees’ return rates, indicating disrupted navigational ability. However, among those that did return, homing time was not affected by the treatment. While our study only focuses on one key behavioural trait, the findings provide clear evidence of a sublethal effect of a commonly used household insecticide on an essential pollinator species.


This work was supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation (grant no. NNF0093951) and the Finnish Cultural Foundation to M.H. and the Kone Foundation (grant no. 202010852) to O.J.L.


Last updated on 28/04/2026 09:49:17 AM