Research carried out by Dr Sarah Scott and colleagues in our Agroecology Group has shown that bumblebees are particularly vulnerable to metal pollution, which can impair foraging, reproduction and colony success, even at low contamination levels.
Published in Ecological Entomology, the study found that bumblebees are exposed to higher levels of toxic metals such as lead and arsenic than honey bees foraging in exactly the same landscape. Researchers collected pollen samples and measured concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead and tin in both pollen and adult bee bodies. The study was carried out in a landscape with very low metal loads, but the findings showed levels high enough to have adverse effects on bee development, learning and memory.
Professor Lynn Dicks leader of the Agroecology Group and the study’s senior author, said: “Even in areas that we usually consider safe or lower risk for heavy metals – typically rural areas, away from industrial or mining areas – bees can pick up toxic metals. Bumblebee colonies tend to have fewer workers available to perform tasks, so the loss of individuals can have a big impact on overall colony function.”
Text adapted from a research news story by Craig Brierley and featured on the Department of Zoology website: https://www.zoo.cam.ac.uk/news/bumblebees-risk-exposure-toxic-metals-higher-honey-bees
Read the paper: Scott, S.B., Blömer, N. & Dicks, L.V. (2026) Eusocial bee species are exposed to different toxic element profiles despite foraging within the same landscape. Ecological Entomology, 1–14. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/een.70108