Bees and other beneficial insects can be exposed to fungicides directly or through contaminated nectar and pollen in urban and agricultural settings. Fungicides can harm bees in a variety of ways, affecting bee development, behavior, immune health, and reproduction.

Do fungicides kill insects?

Instead, they found a shocker: fungicides, commonly thought to have no impact. “Insecticides work; they kill insects. Fungicides have been largely overlooked because they are not targeted for insects, but fungicides may not be quite as benign – toward bumblebees – as we once thought.

Is fungicide toxic to bees?

However, although fungicides are generally considered to be relatively safe to bees, scientific evidence has shown that some fungicides can be harmful to bee populations. ... Direct exposure to wet sprays or dried residues on leaves or flowers (Figure 2) can kill adult bees.