Biology

A deeper understanding of system interactions can explain contradictory field results on pesticide impact on honey bees

D. Breda, D. Frizzera, et al.

This groundbreaking research by Dimitri Breda and colleagues explains the contradictory effects of pesticides on honeybees using a novel systems biology approach. The interplay between various stressors and viruses like the deformed wing virus reveals how honeybees may experience drastically different outcomes—ranging from survival to premature death—when exposed to the same pesticide. These findings not only clarify previous field test discrepancies but also emphasize the complexity of ecological interactions.