The leafcutter bee, Megachile rotundata, is more sensitive to N-cyanoamidine neonicotinoid and butenolide insecticides than other managed bees

Abstract

Recent research has shown that severalmanaged bee species have specific P450 enzymes that are preadapted to confer intrinsic tolerance to some insecticides including certain neonicotinoids. However, the universality of this finding across managed bee pollinators is unclear. Here we show that the leafcutter bee, Megachile rotundata, lacks such P450s, and is >2500-fold more sensitive to the neonicotinoid thiacloprid and 170-fold more sensitive to the butenolide flupyradifurone than other managed bee pollinators. These findings have significant implications for the safe use of insecticides in crops where M. rotundatais used for pollination, and ensuring regulatory pesticide risk assessment frameworks are protective of this species.