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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Advanced Science

Blocking Honeybee Preference for Neonicotinoids by Interfering With Dopamine Signaling

  • Jing Li1,2,3
  • Yuan Ge2,3
  • Wangjiang Feng1
  • David C. Lyon4
  • Pingli Dai1
  • Yong‐Jun Liu1
4 affiliations
  1. 1State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects Institute of Apicultural Research Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing China
  2. 2State Key Laboratory of Regional and Urban Ecology Research Center for Eco‐Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
  3. 3University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
  4. 4Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology School of Medicine University of California Irvine California USA
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Abstract

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) prefer nectar containing neonicotinoids despite severe exposure risk leading to colony collapse. The neural mechanisms underlying this preference behavior remain unknown, impeding the development of effective blocking strategies. Neonicotinoids act as acetylcholine receptor agonists, and dopamine is a vital neuromodulator in addictive behavior. We hypothesize that neonicotinoids could activate brain dopamine signaling in honeybees, reinforcing their feeding behavior. Here, we show that thiamethoxam‐laden food is preferred over uncontaminated options, and that prolonged consumption is associated with transient, state‐dependent increases in brain dopamine concentrations. Introducing the dopamine receptor antagonist, fluphenazine, reduces thiamethoxam preference. Our study first reveals a key dopamine‐associated mechanism underlying neonicotinoid‐induced preference behavior in honeybees and provides a potential basis for future strategies to reduce honeybee attraction to insecticide‐containing food source through modulation of the preference‐related dopamine pathway, thereby helping to preserve honeybee pollination services.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{li2026blocking,
  title = {{Blocking Honeybee Preference for Neonicotinoids by Interfering With Dopamine Signaling}},
  author = {Jing Li and Yuan Ge and Wangjiang Feng and David C. Lyon and Pingli Dai and Yong‐Jun Liu},
  journal = {Advanced Science},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.1002/advs.78535},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.78535},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Blocking Honeybee Preference for Neonicotinoids by Interfering With Dopamine Signaling
AU  - Jing Li
AU  - Yuan Ge
AU  - Wangjiang Feng
AU  - David C. Lyon
AU  - Pingli Dai
AU  - Yong‐Jun Liu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/04
JO  - Advanced Science
DO  - 10.1002/advs.78535
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.78535
AB  - Honeybees (Apis mellifera) prefer nectar containing neonicotinoids despite severe exposure risk leading to colony collapse. The neural mechanisms underlying this preference behavior remain unknown, impeding the development of effective blocking strategies. Neonicotinoids act as acetylcholine receptor agonists, and dopamine is a vital neuromodulator in addictive behavior. We hypothesize that neonicotinoids could activate brain dopamine signaling in honeybees, reinforcing their feeding behavior. Here, we show that thiamethoxam‐laden food is preferred over uncontaminated options, and that prolonged consumption is associated with transient, state‐dependent increases in brain dopamine concentrations. Introducing the dopamine receptor antagonist, fluphenazine, reduces thiamethoxam preference. Our study first reveals a key dopamine‐associated mechanism underlying neonicotinoid‐induced preference behavior in honeybees and provides a potential basis for future strategies to reduce honeybee attraction to insecticide‐containing food source through modulation of the preference‐related dopamine pathway, thereby helping to preserve honeybee pollination services.
SN  - 2198-3844
ER  -