Researchers Show How Common Herbicide Affects Honeybee Brains and Behavior

Cultivating flowering plants for pollinator gardens, commercial farms, or home landscapes often relies on the use of herbicides to manage unwanted weeds. Honeybees are attracted to these locations and play a critical role in their success. So what happens when foraging bees pick up a dose of weedkiller?

Research from Virginia Tech, supported by a grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and a graduate student grant from the university’s Department of Entomology, found exposure to glyphosate — a common weed killer — disrupts honeybee foraging and threatens the long-term stability of hives.

The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, was led by Associate Professor Margaret Couvillon and Ph.D. student Laura McHenry in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Entomology.