ORIGINAL ABSTRACT

The impact of agrochemicals on native Brazilian bees may be underestimated, since studies of non-target effects on bees have, by and large, concerned mostly the Apis mellifera L. Furthermore, bees may be exposed in the field to multiple agrochemicals through different routes, thus suggesting the necessity for more comprehensive toxicological experiments. Here, we assessed the lethal and sublethal toxicity of multiple agrochemicals (herbicide [glyphosate - Roundup®], fungicide [mancozeb], insecticide [thiamethoxam]) through distinct routes of exposure (contact or ingestion) to an endangered native Brazilian bee Melipona (Michmelia) capixaba Moure & Camargo, 1994 and to A. mellifera. Results indicate that none of the agrochemicals caused feeding repellency on the bees. Thiamethoxam caused high mortality of both species, regardless of the route of exposure or the dose used. In addition, thiametoxam altered the flight capacity of M. capixaba when exposed to the lowest dose via contact exposure. The field dose of glyphosate caused high mortality of both bee species after oral exposure as well as impaired the flight capacity of A. mellifera (ingestion exposure) and M. capixaba (contact exposure). The lower dose of glyphosate also impaired the flight of M. capixaba through either routes of exposure. Exposure of A. mellifera through contact and ingestion to both doses of mancozeb caused high mortality and significantly impaired flight capacity. Taken altogether, the results highlight the importance of testing the impact of multiple agrochemicals (i.e. not just insecticides) through different routes of exposure in order to understand more comprehensively the potential risks for Apis and non-Apis bees.