Electromagnetic Fields and Colony Collapse Disorder of the Honeybee

Abstract

The abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops is a significant subject of recent study. One theory points to the development of telecommunications technology and an increasing number of electromagnetic field sources as a possible cause of the phenomenon.This paper presents the results of preliminary studies of honeybee exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (50 Hz; 1 mT, 7 mT) Streszczenie. Nagłe znikanie pszczół, które zapylają uprawy, jest jednym z istotnych tematów ostatnich badań. Jedna z teorii wskazuje na rozwój telekomunikacji i zwiększenie liczby źródeł pola elektromagnetycznego jako możliwą przyczynę tego zjawiska. Artykuł prezentuje wyniki wstępnych badań nad ekspozycję pszczół miodnych na pole elektromagnetyczne o wyjątkowo niskiej częstotliwości (50 Hz; 1 mT 7 mT) (Pola elektromagnetyczne i zespół masowego ginięcia pszczoły miodnej).

Colony collapse disorder: A peril to apiculture

“…In recent years, there was a hasty decline in pollinator's diverseness, which ultimately affected the pollination of crops (Wyszkowska et al, 2019). In the 2006 winter, some beekeepers reported losing up to 90% of their hives.…”

“…Honey bee memorizes olfactory signals or visual landmarks around the hive to navigate their way home (Liang et al, 2016). In the United States, the sudden disappearance of honey bees has been associated with geomagnetic storms, affecting the homing abilities of Apis and causing a condition named "Magnetoreception disorder" (Ferrari, 2014, Wyszkowska et al, 2019. The ability to resist or become susceptible to geomagnetic fluctuations is genetic and transmitted from generation to generation.…”

“…Over millions of years on this planet, bees and other insects have survived and developed diverse immune systems. According to research observations, stress like ELF-EMFs (power lines) has been creating artificial conditions, which are harmful to home-loving creatures like the honey bee (Wyszkowska et al, 2019). The long-term viability of colonies depends on how they react to environmental stresses.…”

“…In a study, bees exposed to different levels of ELF-EMF ranging from ground level to adjacent transmission power lines, detailed the re-duced number of honey bees feeding, implying that EMF had an impact on the colony's capacity to get essential resources and reduced the learning, fighting, and feeding efficiency (Shepherd et al 2018). From the study by Wyszkowska et al (2019), it is evident that upon exposure of honey bees (A. mellifera carnica F.) to 50 Hz ELF-EMF at 1mT and 7mT, induced a negative influence on the foraging and migratory behaviour of the bees. Thus, ELF-EMF can be accounted as a biological stressor affecting their orientation and motor skills, finally reducing the capability of crop pollination (Lupi et al, 2021).…”

Effect of the electric field at 50 Hz and variable intensities on biochemical markers in the honey bee’s hemolymph

“…Bees after exposition to E-field with these parameters displayed self-grooming and contact between other individuals less frequently compared to the control bees [6,7]. After acute exposure to a 50Hz low-frequency electromagnetic field, bees' ability to learning, flying towards feed, and feeding or walking was reduced [8][9][10]. 60 Hz electromagnetic field with the intensity above 150 kV/m caused vibrations of the bee body [11].…”