Pollinators can encounter pesticides applied to agricultural fields and for other uses (e.g. vector control, lawn and garden care) and there is a need to better characterize the timing and magnitude of these exposures from a variety of environmental pathways. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted multiple studies within and adjacent to crop plantings in the United States where a range of matrices were analyzed for pesticide residues. Matrices included pollinators (bumble bees, solitary bees, butterflies), plants (leaves, pollen, nectar), soils, and passive samplers (silicone bands). These matrices vary in the amount of time needed for both sample collection and pesticide analysis. It takes more time to collect bees and plant tissue from the field than it does to deploy and collect silicone bands. Extraction of silicone bands is also faster than bees, floral tissue, and soil, which all require some degree of co-extracted interference removal prior to pesticide quantification. Overall, the silicone bands are easy to deploy and extract, making them an inexpensive addition to field studies. Across all studies, multiple fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides were detected along with pesticide degradation products in all matrices. Generally, the combination of passive samplers and bee tissue residues, while not showing the same patterns, gave insight into the exposure to and accumulation of pesticides. The results from these studies highlight the benefits of measuring multiple sample matrices to capture the total exposure of pollinators to pesticides.
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