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Volatilized prallethrin impairs the homing ability of bumblebees
Tekijät: Kaakinen, Kimmo; Loukola, Olli Juhana; Vaajamo, Eva-Maria; Helander, Marjo
Julkaisuvuosi: 2026
Lehti: Biology Letters
Artikkelin numero: 20250749
Vuosikerta: 22
Numero: 4
ISSN: 1744-9561
eISSN: 1744-957X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2025.0749
Julkaisun avoimuus kirjaamishetkellä: Avoimesti saatavilla
Julkaisukanavan avoimuus : Osittain avoin julkaisukanava
Verkko-osoite: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2025.0749
Rinnakkaistallenteen osoite: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/523057606
Rinnakkaistallenteen lisenssi: CC BY
Rinnakkaistallennetun julkaisun versio: Kustantajan versio
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.
Ladattava julkaisu This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |
Julkaisussa olevat rahoitustiedot:
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.