Genetic Variation Influences Tolerance to a Neonicotinoid Insecticide in 3 Butterfly Species

Neonicotinoid pesticides harm nontarget insects, but their sublethal effects on butterflies are understudied. We exposed larvae of 3 butterfly species (Pieris rapae, Colias philodice, and Danaus plexippus) to low levels of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid in their host plants and followed individuals...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEnvironmental toxicology and chemistry Vol. 39; no. 11; pp. 2228 - 2236
Main Authors Kobiela, Megan E., Snell‐Rood, Emilie C.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2020
Subjects
Animals
Body size
Body Size - drug effects
Butterflies & moths
Butterflies - drug effects
Butterflies - genetics
Butterflies - growth & development
Colias philodice
Danaus plexippus
Female
Genetic diversity
Genetic Variation
Host plants
Imidacloprid
Insecticides
Insecticides - toxicity
Insects
Larva - drug effects
Larva - genetics
Larvae
Male
Neonicotinoids - toxicity
Nontarget insect
Pesticides
Pieris rapae
Sublethal effects
Toxicity testing
Wings, Animal - drug effects
Wings, Animal - physiology
Danaus plexippus
Imidacloprid
Sublethal effects
Colias philodice
Nontarget insect
Pieris rapae
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Summary:Neonicotinoid pesticides harm nontarget insects, but their sublethal effects on butterflies are understudied. We exposed larvae of 3 butterfly species (Pieris rapae, Colias philodice, and Danaus plexippus) to low levels of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid in their host plants and followed individuals to adulthood. Imidacloprid altered adult body size, especially in female monarchs, but its effects varied across maternal families, highlighting the importance of considering genetic variation in ecotoxicological testing. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2228–2236. © 2020 SETAC
ISSN:0730-7268
1552-8618
DOI:10.1002/etc.4845