World’s most-used weedkiller disrupts honeybee brains
A study from Virginia Tech indicates that glyphosate, the world's most common herbicide, can negatively affect the foraging behavior and brain function of honeybees. While not immediately fatal, the chemical causes sublethal disruptions that may threaten colony stability.
Why it matters
As honeybees are vital pollinators, understanding how common agricultural chemicals impact their health is essential for food security and ecosystem management.
Flowering plants in pollinator gardens, agricultural fields, and residential landscapes often grow alongside weeds that are controlled with herbicides. Honeybees regularly visit these same areas while collecting nectar and pollen, raising questions about what happens when they are exposed to weedkillers during their daily foraging.
A Virginia Tech study found that glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, can interfere with honeybee foraging and may undermine the long-term stability of colonies. The research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and a graduate student grant from the university's Department of Entomology.
Published in the Journal of Experimental Biology , the study was led by Associate Professor Margaret Couvillon and Ph.D. student Laura McHenry in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Department of Entomology.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in