Managed and wild pollinators are crucial in cultivating flowering entomophilous crops such as orchard fruits. These pollinators typically visit flowers to forage on pollen and nectar.

However, management of these crops typically includes application of pesticides, the presence of which may pose a hazard for pollinators foraging in an agricultural environment. 

DCU researchers have determined the levels of potential exposure to pesticides, their presence and concentration in pollen and nectar need assessing, both within and beyond the target crop plants. They selected ten pesticide compounds and one metabolite and analysed their occurrence in a crop and a wild plant which was flowering in field edges.