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The humidity is what really gets bees: The impact of thermal stress and microplastics ingestion on the survival of Apis mellifera ligustica (Spinola, 1806)
Summary
Honeybees exposed to microplastics (tiny plastic particles) died much faster when humidity was high, even more so than when temperatures were extremely hot—suggesting that muggy conditions make plastic pollution more dangerous for these crucial pollinators. Since bees pollinate much of our food supply, this matters for humans too: as climate change brings more humid weather and plastic pollution keeps rising, the combination could threaten the bees we depend on to grow fruits, vegetables, and other crops.
Climate change and microplastics (MPs) represent stressors threatening insect pollinators, yet their effects remain poorly understood. This study investigated how temperature and relative humidity modulate the impact of MP ingestion on survival and feeding behavior in Apis mellifera ligustica. Worker bees were exposed to polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE) microspheres (0.5, 5, and 50 mg/L), administered alone or in combination, under three environmental conditions: normal (33°C, 50% RH), high temperature (40°C, 50% RH), and high humidity (33°C, 80% RH). High humidity strongly reduced the survival, particularly in PE-50 and/or PS-50 (from 60% to 74% of reduction). The PE-50 × PS-50 treatment under high humidity exhibited the lowest LT (≈8 days). Elevated temperature also reduced survival, but less markedly than humidity. High MP concentrations independently reduced survival, suggesting dose-dependent toxicity. These results suggested that humidity, more than heat, amplifies the negative effects of MP ingestion on honey bee survival.