No evidence for bee fitness following sulfoxaflor application

No negative impact of pre-flowering application of the insecticide sulfoxaflor on Osmia bicornis was found. And fungicide azoxystrobin did not interact synergistically with sulfoxaflor.

Pesticide exposure is considered a major driver of pollinator decline. Impacts of new sulfoximine-based insecticides on solitary bees and their potential interactive effects with other commonly applied pesticides in agriculture have been tested in a semi-field experiment. The test organisms was the solitary mason bee species Osmia bicornis, an important pollinator of crops and wild plants in Europe. Agroscope showed that spray applications of the insecticide sulfoxaflor (product Closer) and the fungicide azoxystrobin (product Amistar), both alone and combined, had no significant negative impacts on adult female survival or the production of offspring or their survival, sex ratio or body size when sulfoxaflor was applied five days before crop flowering.

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Wild Bees and Pollination

Honey bees, wild bees and other insect pollinators play a crucial role in agricultural ecosystems. Pollinators help to improve the yields of around 75% of the world’s most important agricultural crops.