Exploring the effects of the acaricide cyflumetofen on the vital organs of the honey bee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) workers

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2024-06, Vol.929, p.172640-172640, Article 172640
• Main Authors: Reis, Aline Beatriz, Oliveira, Mateus Soares de, Souza, Diego dos Santos, Gomes, Davy Soares, Silva, Laryssa Lemos da, Martínez, Luis Carlos, Serrão, José Eduardo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acaricide; acaricides; Acaricides - toxicity; acute exposure; Animals; Apis mellifera; apples; autophagy; Bees - drug effects; Citrus; environment; epithelium; fat body; Fat Body - drug effects; Histopathology; honey bees; insecticides; Insecticides - toxicity; midgut; Pollinator; pollinators; Propionates - toxicity; secretion; Ultrastructure
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172640

Bees are important for maintaining ecosystems, pollinating crops and producing marketable products. In recent years, a decline in bee populations has been reported, with multifactorial causes, including the intensification of pesticide use in agriculture. Among pesticides, cyflumetofen is an insecticide and acaricide used in apple, coffee and citrus crops, whose main pollinator is the honey bee Apis mellifera. Therefore, this bee is a potential target of cyflumetofen during foraging. This study evaluated the histopathological and cytological damage in the midgut, hypopharyngeal glands and fat body of A. mellifera workers exposed to LC50 of cyflumetofen. The midgut epithelium of exposed bees presented cytoplasmic vacuolization, release of vesicles and cell fragments, which indicate autophagy, increased production of digestive enzymes and cell death, respectively. The cytological analysis of the midgut revealed the dilation of the basal labyrinth and the presence of spherocrystals in the digestive cells. The hypopharyngeal glands produced greater amounts of secretion in treated bees, whereas no changes were observed in the fat body. The results indicate that acute exposure to cyflumetofen negatively affect A. mellifera, causing damage to the midgut and changes in the hypopharyngeal glands, which may compromise the survival and foraging of this pollinator. [Display omitted] •Cyflumetofen presents toxicity with LC50 of 2.54 g L−1 in Apis mellifera workers.•Cyflumetofen exposure induces autophagy and cell death in bee midgut.•Histopathological changes occur in the midgut of honey bee exposed to cyflumetofen.•Cyflumetofen affects the hypopharyngeal glands of honey bee workers.