Impact of physical factors on activities of honey bees: potential hazards and future perspectives

Abstract

Different physical factors (electric and electromagnetic fields, magnetic field, gravity, and light) can negatively affect activities of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) either inside or outside the hives, possibly causing damage to bee colonies. In this paper, previous studies are reviewed to shed more light on the effects of these factors on honey bees, and to provide suggestions for additional investigations. Comb building, waggle dance, flight, and navigation have gained more attention than other activities. Also, worker bees have been studied more than drones and queens, and especially adults more than immature stages. Productivity aspects of bee colonies and biological parameters have not been the focus of most studies. Effects of the reviewed physical factors on bee-parasite interactions have gained little attention. The possibility of considering these physical factors as a serious hazard to honey bees is discussed. It seems that the field of honey bee physics is open for future investigations with focus on bee-parasite and bee-environment interactions.