Short-term persistence of foliar insecticides and fungicides in pumpkin plants and their pollinators

Abstract

To minimize the risk to bees and other beneficial insects, plant protection chemicals are typically applied to pollinator-dependent crop plants when flowers are absent or unopened. However, this approach does not entirely remove the risk of pollinator exposure. Much research has focused on negative effects of systemic insecticides (e.g., seed treatments) on pollinators, but less is known about the level of hazard posed by translocation of non-systemic foliar-applied pesticides to pollen and nectar that bees consume. In this study we assess the frequency and persistence of six foliar-applied pesticides in pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) tissues and in their bee visitors. We analyzed residues of three insecticides (carbaryl, lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin) and three fungicides (chlorothalonil, quinoxyfen, triflumizole) in pumpkin leaves, pollen, and nectar collected from five farms in the north-central USA, one day before a spray event, and one, three, and seven days after. Bees foraging on pumpkin flowers were collected one day before and one day after spray and screened for the same pesticides. Overall, insecticides were present in 56% of leaf samples. Compared to leaves, fewer pollen (insecticide detected in 16%, fungicide in 16%) and nectar samples (14%, 0%) contained pesticides. We detected one insecticide (carbaryl) in two out of 69 samples of foraging bees, and only in male squash bees (not in bumble or honey bees), which have life history traits that bring them into prolonged close contact with the sprayed crop plants. The persistence of some agrochemicals in leaves, pollen, and nectar up to a week following application merits consideration when managing pollinator-dependent crops. Even pesticides that are traditionally considered contact-based and applied when flowers are unopened can reach pollen and nectar and produce measurable risk to bees.