In this study, we elucidate the fundamental mechanism for electrically actuated mechanical resonances in semiconducting ZnO nanowhiskers (NWs). Based on visual detection and measurement of mechanical resonances in ZnO NWs using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), previous studies have attributed dynamic charge induction as the fundamental mechanism for the observed resonances. We show that the use of an electron beam as a resonance detection tool alters the intrinsic electrical character of the ZnO, and makes it difficult to identify the source of the charge necessary for the electrostatic actuation. A systematic study of the amplitude of electrically actuated as-grown and gold-coated ZnO NWs in the presence (absence) of an electron beam using a SEM (dark-field optical microscope) suggest that our ZnO NWs intrinsically support static charge actuation.