Dutka, A, McNulty, A and Williamson, SM (2015) A new threat to bees? Entomopathogenic nematodes used in biological pest control cause rapid mortality in Bombus terrestris. PeerJ, 2015 (11). ISSN 2167-8359

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Abstract

There is currently a great deal of concern about population declines in pollinating insects. Many potential threats have been identified which may adversely affect the behaviour and health of both honey bees and bumble bees: these include pesticide exposure, and parasites and pathogens. Whether biological pest control agents adversely affect bees has been much less well studied: it is generally assumed that biological agents are safer for wildlife than chemical pesticides. The aim of this study was to test whether entomopathogenic nematodes sold as biological pest control products could potentially have adverse effects on the bumble bee Bombus terrestris. One product was a broad spectrum pest control agent containing both Heterorhabditis sp. and Steinernema sp., the other product was specifically for weevil control and contained only Steinernema kraussei. Both nematode products caused ≥80% mortality within the 96 h test period when bees were exposed to soil containing entomopathogenic nematodes at the recommended field concentration of 50 nematodes per cm soil. Of particular concern is the fact that nematodes fromthe broad spectrum product could proliferate in the carcasses of dead bees, and therefore potentially infect a whole bee colony or spread to the wider environment.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history Q Science > QL Zoology S Agriculture > SF Animal culture
Divisions:	Natural Sciences & Psychology (closed 31 Aug 19)
Publisher:	PeerJ
Date Deposited:	15 Dec 2015 12:03
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2021 13:44
DOI or ID number:	10.7717/peerj.1413
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/2474

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