The Combined Effects of Pesticide Behavior and Target Specificity Determine the Diversity of Pesticide Toxicity to Bees

Bees are essential pollinators for nearly three-quarters of global grain crops, affecting agricultural productivity and economic development worldwide. The survival of bees is threatened by multiple factors, such as pesticides, climatic conditions, and pathogens, of which pesticides are the main factor of concern. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in understanding the toxic effects of structurally diverse pesticides on bees. However, a systematic examination of the correlation mechanism of pesticide structures and their toxicity to bees remains inadequately addressed. Here, we investigated how structural diversity in pesticides leads to varying toxicities to bees and explored the potential mechanisms of the differences in toxicity. First, we categorized the pesticides reported in the literature as toxic to bees into seven distinct classes based on their structural characteristics. Then, we examined the correlation between the diversity of pesticide structures and their toxicity to bees. Finally, we investigated the potential mechanisms underlying differences in pesticide toxicity to bees, including target protein binding affinity, metabolic detoxification efficiency, and cuticle penetration dynamics. We believe our work provides valuable guidance for developing novel, structurally safer pesticides.