Journal article
Is sulfoxafor a safe alternative to neonicotinoids for Apis mellifera? A systematic review
Apidologie, Vol.56(2), pp.1-17
09/04/2025
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Abstract
Despite their importance to the ecosystem, global food production, and the beekeeping industry, honey bees are systematically threatened by multiple factors. Industrial agriculture plays an important role in such a process challenging both managed and wild bees. While the impacts of various insecticide classes on bees are well-documented, neonicotinoids are closely associated with colony losses, prompting their ban in several countries. Sulfoxafor, a sulfoximine-based insecticide, has been proposed as a replacement for neonicotinoids like imidacloprid, targeting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) through a distinct binding mechanism and allegedly posing lower risks to birds, mammals, and humans. This review systematically assesses sulfoxafor’s effects on Apis mellifera, utilizing data from PubMed, Web of Science, Jstor, Scopus, Google Scholar, CORE, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) for studies published between 2019 and 2024. Nineteen studies were selected, excluding research on non-Apis bees or combined formulations. Findings revealed diverse sublethal impacts on honey bees, including metabolic, morphological, behavioral, and gene expression alterations. Even though sulfoxafor is less toxic than neonicotinoids, it cannot be deemed a safe alternative for honey bees, especially once that many effects have been reported in both classes of pesticides.
Details
- Title
- Is sulfoxafor a safe alternative to neonicotinoids for Apis mellifera? A systematic review
- Creators
- Guilherme Duarte Figueiredo de Souza - São Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil)Isabella Lippi - São Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil)Iloran do Rosário Corrêa Moreira - São Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil)Suelen Matos da Silva - São Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil)Jaine da Luz Scheffer - São Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil)Aline Astolfi - São Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil)Renato Agostinho Arrud - São Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil)Ricardo de Oliveira Orsi - São Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil)
- Publication Details
- Apidologie, Vol.56(2), pp.1-17
- Publisher
- Springer; PARIS
- Identifiers
- 991013284148002368
- Copyright
- © INRAE, DIB and Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature, 2025.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article