Toxic effects and consequences of sublethal sulfoxaflor exposure on the aphidophagous predator Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Coccinella septempunctata is an important aphidophagous predator in agricultural systems. This study evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects of topical sulfoxaflor exposure on C. septempunctata under controlled laboratory conditions, with emphasis on survival, predation, reproduction, and demographic performance. Second-instar larvae were exposed to a range of sulfoxaflor doses, and subsequent effects on survival, aphid consumption, adult body mass, fecundity, and age-stage, two-sex life-table parameters were assessed. Sulfoxaflor caused dose- and time-dependent adverse effects, including reduced larval survival and declining LD 50 estimates over time, indicating increasing toxicity with prolonged exposure. Sublethal exposure also reduced predation capacity, adult body mass, and fecundity, and negatively affected key demographic parameters, including the intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, and net reproductive rate. Daily hazard quotient (HQ) values (1.2–11.9, corresponding to label rates of 24–120 mg a.i./L across the registered crop uses considered) indicated a high toxicity risk to second-instar larvae, while total effect (E) classified sulfoxaflor as slightly to moderately harmful to C. septempunctata at 3–96 ng a.i. per insect. Overall, these findings indicate that sulfoxaflor can impair the fitness and population performance of C. septempunctata under laboratory conditions and highlight the need to incorporate sublethal and demographic endpoints into non-target risk assessment, while semi-field and field studies are required for validation.