The Exposure of Pesticides to Honeybees: A Global Threat to Food Security

Abstract

The pivotal role of honeybees as global pollinators underscores their significance in ecological and agricultural systems. However, the beekeeping industry faces a significant challenge due to the improper utilization of pesticides, resulting in adverse effects on honeybee populations. This comprehensive review endeavors to investigate the toxicity of pesticides to honeybees, examining the various routes of exposure. Furthermore, it aims to delineate the repercussions of pesticide exposure on honeybee foraging behavior and the quality of essential hive products. Additionally, the review explores effective strategies to mitigate pesticide risks to advance contemporary apiculture practices. Pesticides, inherently poisonous, disrupt crucial physiological and behavioral mechanisms in honeybees. Notably, organophosphates and carbamates function as neuroinhibitors by impeding the acetylcholine neurotransmitter action in the insect nervous system. Among the insecticides, imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam, classified as neonicotinoids, demonstrated high toxicity even at minimal exposure doses. Acaricides, while less toxic to bees than their target parasites, pose potential risks when excessive residues accumulate in combs, impacting bee health adversely. Moreover, pesticides contaminate hive products, with beeswax identified as the most heavily contaminated, followed by pollen. The degree of pesticide contamination in pollen samples correlates with the detected pesticide quantities. Analyses of two key hive products, honey, and pollen, reveal that approximately 90% of pesticide residues are found in pollen, while honey contains 50%. The contamination of hive products underscores the pervasive nature of pesticide exposure within the honeybee environment. Encouraging the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies among farmers emerges as a crucial recommendation. This approach not only safeguards beneficial insect diversity but also enhances agroecosystem services, ultimately ensuring a secure global food supply in the future.