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Changes in honey bee behaviour and biology under the influence of cell phone radiations
Abstract
Increase in the usage of electronic gadgets has led to electropollution of the environment. Honeybee behaviour and biology has been affected by electrosmog since these insects have magnetite in their bodies
which helps them in navigation. There are reports of sudden disappearance of bee populations from honeybee colonies. The reason is still not clear. We have compared the performance of honeybees in cellphone radiation exposed and unexposed colonies. A significant (p < 0.05) decline in colony strength and in the egg laying rate of the queen was observed. The behaviour of exposed foragers was negatively influenced by the exposure, there was neither honey nor pollen in the colony at the end of the experiment.
... Several of the aforementioned findings involve DNA damage and consequent cell death in reproductive cells of different animals, resulting in decreased reproduction. In particular, the effects of pulsing WC EMFs on the DNA of reproductive cells, as reported by different studies on a variety of animals (25,30,31,36,40,41,46), display a marked similarity and explain other findings that connect WC EMF exposure with insect, bird and mammalian (including human) infertility (56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64), or declines in bird and insect populations (especially bees) during the past 15 years (65)(66)(67)(68)(69). A significant decrease in reproduction (decrease in egg laying or embryonic death) after exposure to mobile telephony (MT) radiation was identically observed in fruit flies (30,40,57,58), chicken eggs (61), birds (65)(66)(67), and bees (63). ...
... In particular, the effects of pulsing WC EMFs on the DNA of reproductive cells, as reported by different studies on a variety of animals (25,30,31,36,40,41,46), display a marked similarity and explain other findings that connect WC EMF exposure with insect, bird and mammalian (including human) infertility (56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64), or declines in bird and insect populations (especially bees) during the past 15 years (65)(66)(67)(68)(69). A significant decrease in reproduction (decrease in egg laying or embryonic death) after exposure to mobile telephony (MT) radiation was identically observed in fruit flies (30,40,57,58), chicken eggs (61), birds (65)(66)(67), and bees (63). Similar effects are reported for amphibians (70,71), rats (31,62), and human sperm (decreased number and motility of spermatozoa) (59,60). ...
... The present study reviewed experimental and epidemiological findings connecting exposure to purely ELF, and RF (containing ELF) human-made EMFs, with DNA damage and related pathologies, including cancer. It is documented that both such types of human-made EMF-exposure can induce OS (3,34,(36)(37)(38)(39)43,45,109), DNA damage 84,85) and infertility (56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65)(66)(67)(68)(69)(70)(71). It is also documented that the same types of EMF-exposure are linked with increased cancer risk both in humans and experimental animals (72)(73)(74)(75)(76)(77)(78)(79)(80)(81)(82)(83)(86)(87)(88)(89)(90)(91)(92)(93)(94)(95)(96)(97)(98)(110)(111)(112)(113)(114). ...
Exposure of animals/biological samples to human‑made electromagnetic fields (EMFs), especially in the extremely low frequency (ELF) band, and the microwave/radio frequency (RF) band which is always combined with ELF, may lead to DNA damage. DNA damage is connected with cell death, infertility and other pathologies, including cancer. ELF exposure from high‑voltage power lines and complex RF exposure from wireless communication antennas/devices are linked to increased cancer risk. Almost all human‑made RF EMFs include ELF components in the form of modulation, pulsing and random variability. Thus, in addition to polarization and coherence, the existence of ELFs is a common feature of almost all human‑made EMFs. The present study reviews the DNA damage and related effects induced by human‑made EMFs. The ion forced‑oscillation mechanism for irregular gating of voltage‑gated ion channels on cell membranes by polarized/coherent EMFs is extensively described. Dysfunction of ion channels disrupts intracellular ionic concentrations, which determine the cell's electrochemical balance and homeostasis. The present study shows how this can result in DNA damage through reactive oxygen species/free radical overproduction. Thus, a complete picture is provided of how human‑made EMF exposure may indeed lead to DNA damage and related pathologies, including cancer. Moreover, it is suggested that the non‑thermal biological effects attributed to RF EMFs are actually due to their ELF components.
... In addition to the decrease in the rate of laid eggs (Table 3), all of the above-mentioned findings lead to the decrease of the density numbers of bees in the colonies; estimated by the number of covered frames with bees, which was 5 frames /hive at a distance of 100 meters away, 6 frames /hive at 300 meters, 7 frames /hive at 400 meters, 7.66 frames /hive at 500 meters, and 8 frames /hive at 550 meters away, compared to a normal average of 8 frames /hive at 2000m. In contrast to our obtained results, the different performed studies in different regions of the world had reported the negative effect of emitted EMF from cell phone towers, high voltage wires, and various electronic devices on honey bees with regard to strength, navigation, behavior, honey store, pollen store, and brood area, etc. our findings are in agreement with those reported by Harst et al., 2006;Sharma and Kumar, 2010;Stefan et al., 2013;Pereira-Bomfim et al. 2015. ...
... In addition, the run studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bees had shown that initiation or/and cessation of foraging, i.e., the number of incoming foragers are negatively affected (Harst et al., 2006;Kimmel et al., 2007;Stefan et al., 2013;Sharma and Kumar, 2010;Pattazhy, 2011;Darney et al., 2016;Taye et al. 2017), as well as the number of outgoing foragers (Valberg, 2010;Sharma and Kumar, 2010); the successful return of marked feeders (Harst et al., 2006;Stefan et al., 2013). ...
... In addition, the run studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bees had shown that initiation or/and cessation of foraging, i.e., the number of incoming foragers are negatively affected (Harst et al., 2006;Kimmel et al., 2007;Stefan et al., 2013;Sharma and Kumar, 2010;Pattazhy, 2011;Darney et al., 2016;Taye et al. 2017), as well as the number of outgoing foragers (Valberg, 2010;Sharma and Kumar, 2010); the successful return of marked feeders (Harst et al., 2006;Stefan et al., 2013). ...
... Previous studies on the effects of RF-EMFs on honey bee colonies mostly examined adult honey bees in the laboratory or under unnatural conditions, i.e., after direct exposure to devices emitting radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation such as mobile phones or Wi-Fi networks [19][20][21][22]. Most results showed reduced colony strength and queen laying rate [22,23] as well as the initiation of "worker piping" [19,24,25] associated with swarming. ...
... Previous studies on the effects of RF-EMFs on honey bee colonies mostly examined adult honey bees in the laboratory or under unnatural conditions, i.e., after direct exposure to devices emitting radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation such as mobile phones or Wi-Fi networks [19][20][21][22]. Most results showed reduced colony strength and queen laying rate [22,23] as well as the initiation of "worker piping" [19,24,25] associated with swarming. The results of some experiments suggest that RF-EMFs generated by mobile phone base stations or devices equivalent to commercial Wi-Fi devices could actually alter honey bees' navigational abilities, i.e., reduce foraging success and prevent them from returning to their hives [26,27]. ...
In this study, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in honey bee larvae, pupae and the midguts of adult bees were investigated during a one-year exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) at a frequency of 900 MHz under field conditions. The experiment was carried out on honey bee colonies at three locations with electric field levels of 30 mV m−1, 70 mV m−1 and 1000 mV m−1. Antioxidant enzymes, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as indicators of lipid peroxidation were measured spectrophotometrically. The GST activity within the same developmental stage showed no significant differences regardless of electric field level or sampling time. The highest GST activity was found in the pupae, followed by activity in the larvae and midguts. Both CAT activity and TBARS concentration were the highest in the midguts, regardless of field level and sampling time. The larvae showed a significantly higher TBARS concentration at the location with an electric field level of 1000 mV m−1 compared to the locations with lower levels. Our results show that RF-EMFs at a frequency of 900 MHz can cause oxidative stress in honey bees, with the larval stage being more sensitive than the pupal stage, but there was no linear relationship between electric field level and effect in any of the developmental stages.
... The need to test the effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) results from the continually rising amount of equipment producing the so-called electromagnetic smog [1]. Some examples of EMF equipment generating variable electromagnetic field are listed in Table 1. 1. Low-frequency 50 Hz electric fields [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]; 2. Electromagnetic fields generated by mobile phone networks [17][18][19][20][21][22][23]; 3. High-frequency (microwave) electric fields in the (2 ÷ 240) GHz range [24][25][26][27][28][29]. ...
... The average weight of the exposed honeycombs is smaller than of non-exposed bees by approximately 20% [17] and mortality rises by several percent [18]. The significant reduction in flight activity, returning ability, pollen foraging efficiency, brood, prolificacy (egg laying rate in days), honey stores, and pollen store are observed [19][20][21]. The brood area is lower for colonies kept near mobile towers [22]. ...
Biological tissues, including insect tissues, are among lossy dielectric materials. The permittivity properties of these materials are described by loss factor ɛ and loss tangent tgδ. The dielectric properties of the worker honeybee body homogenate are tested in the range of high frequencies from 1 MHz to 6 GHz. The homogenate is produced by mixing whole worker honeybees and tested with an epsilometer from Compass Technology and a Copper Mountain Technologies vector circuit analyser VNA. Due to their consistency, the homogenate samples are placed inside polyurethane sachets. The measured permittivity relates to two components of a sample: homogenate and polyurethane. For five samples, two extremes were specified for the permittivity, loss factor ɛ, and the loss tangent tgδ, for the frequency range 20 ÷ 80 MHz and 3 GHz. Four techniques of testing permittivity in biological tissues were used to determine the dielectric properties of the homogenate. A calculation model was developed featuring a minimum measurement error of the loss factor ɛ and the loss tangent tgδ. The power absorbed per unit volume is described for the whole frequency range.
... The constant movement of most wildlife species in and out of varying artificial EMF can result in high exposures near communication structures, especially for flying species such as birds and insects. There is a substantial amount of scientific literature on the disrupting effects of RFR on wildlife (e.g., [190][191][192][193][194][195][196][197][198][199][200][201][202][203][204][205][206]). ...
... Activities of honeybees are also disrupted by exposure to RF radiation. GSM-modulated cell phone radiation (900 MHz) caused a reduction in egg laying by queen bees and depletion of beehive pollen and honey counts [205]. GSM-modulated cell phone radiation (900 MHz) reduced hatching and altered pupal development of honey queen bee larvae [206]. ...
In the late-1990s, the FCC and ICNIRP adopted radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure limits to protect the public and workers from adverse effects of RFR. These limits were based on results from behavioral studies conducted in the 1980s involving 40–60-minute exposures in 5 monkeys and 8 rats, and then applying arbitrary safety factors to an apparent threshold specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4 W/kg. The limits were also based on two major assumptions: any biological effects were due to excessive tissue heating and no effects would occur below the putative threshold SAR, as well as twelve assumptions that were not specified by either the FCC or ICNIRP. In this paper, we show how the past 25 years of extensive research on RFR demonstrates that the assumptions underlying the FCC’s and ICNIRP’s exposure limits are invalid and continue to present a public health harm. Adverse effects observed at exposures below the assumed threshold SAR include non-thermal induction of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, cardiomyopathy, carcinogenicity, sperm damage, and neurological effects, including electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Also, multiple human studies have found statistically significant associations between RFR exposure and increased brain and thyroid cancer risk. Yet, in 2020, and in light of the body of evidence reviewed in this article, the FCC and ICNIRP reaffirmed the same limits that were established in the 1990s. Consequently, these exposure limits, which are based on false suppositions, do not adequately protect workers, children, hypersensitive individuals, and the general population from short-term or long-term RFR exposures. Thus, urgently needed are health protective exposure limits for humans and the environment. These limits must be based on scientific evidence rather than on erroneous assumptions, especially given the increasing worldwide exposures of people and the environment to RFR, including novel forms of radiation from 5G telecommunications for which there are no adequate health effects studies.
... They are dyeing due to losing the site of their colonies and behavioral disorders. Sharma and Kumar (2010) studied the effect of cell phone radiations and compared the behavior of exposed and unexposed honey bee colonies [15]. "A significant decline in colony strength and fecundity rate of the queen was detected". ...
... They are dyeing due to losing the site of their colonies and behavioral disorders. Sharma and Kumar (2010) studied the effect of cell phone radiations and compared the behavior of exposed and unexposed honey bee colonies [15]. "A significant decline in colony strength and fecundity rate of the queen was detected". ...
Insect pollinators are important for the sustainability of agriculture and other natural ecosystems. Many insects such as bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths and beetles are main pollinators of many fruit crops. The climate well as soil of Himachal Pradesh is apt for growing many kinds of fruit crops but in the last few years, produce and quality of fruit crops is decreasing due to lack of sufficient pollination. This study was conducted to assess the pollinator declining factors and farmers’ perception in respect of pollinator conservation and management methods in Himachal Himalaya. The diversity and distribution of insect pollinators is declining due to many threatening factors observed in Himachal Himalaya. These factors include: loss of insect habitats; pests and diseases of honey bees; use of pesticides; cell phone radiations; environmental pollution; susceptibility to climate change; impact of introduced species; escalation in mono-cropping; livestock grazing and mowing; forest fires; ruthless honey hunting and introduction of exotic honey bees. The farmers are practicing here apiculture as a part time as well as whole time profession although there are different types of constraints such as lack of all-season bee forage, heavy snowfall, paucity of labour, honey bee absconding and meager knowledge of medicines. Majority of the farmers expect to have financial help for various horticultural works, management technology and training activities. The farmers have knowledge about different aspects of honey production, processing, storage and marketing. But only a few farmers are aware about different pests, predators and diseases of honey bees as well as their remedial measures. To minimize the effect of pesticides, majority of farmers sprayed them in the morning and during nonflowering session.
... Electromagnetic radiation comes from a wide range of sources (mobile communications networks, Wi-Fi, power lines and other electronic devices) that can affect the behavior, orientation and communication of bees, as they use orientation information in the electromagnetic spectrum to navigate and find food and hives (Abdelaal A., 2015;Balmori A., 2015;Balmori A., 2021;Greggers, U., et al, 2013;Hsu C.Y., et al, 2007). Exposure to radiation emitted by mobile phones can affect bees' ability to find and return to their own hive, negatively impacting colony activity and health (Bozorgmanesh M.A., Kowkabi F., 2019;Bozorgmanesh M.A., Kowkabi F., 2023;Favre D., 2011;Gawas, A.U., 2015;Gould, J.L., et al, 1989;Kumar N.R., Sangwan S., Badotra P., 2011;Kumar R., et al., 2021;Kumar S.S., 2018;Sharma V. P., Kumar N. R., 2010;Treder M., et al, 2023;Watson K., Stallins J. A. 2016). ...
The purpose of this work is to monitor the state of bee health through morphoclinical and laboratory examination of bees on samples of live bees and honeycombs with brood for the prevention and control of diseases in bees in order to include them in a study on the impact of the non-ionizing electromagnetic radiations on bees. Samples were collected during the active season 2023, and morpho-clinically and laboratory examined according to OIE regulations from 9 private apiaries (PH, AG, TR, CL, VN, IS, DB, VL and IF) from which we collected 18 samples. The laboratory results revealed the existence of some diseases in 6 apiaries (66.67%), as follows: a unique evolution (suspected foulbrood disease in one apiary) (11.11%), five apiaries with mixed conditions (55,56%) (varroosis, nosemosis, chalkbrood, and suspected poisoning), and three apiaries were diagnosed as clinically healthy (33.33%). Studying the influence of nonionizing radiation on bees has wider implications for ecology and the environment, as bees play a crucial role in pollination and maintaining ecosystems. The interaction between bees and electromagnetic radiation is a complex and multifactorial issue that may explain the diversity of conclusions in the available studies. Therefore, studies are needed in Romania to better understand the connection between non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation and the decline of bee populations (Collony Colapse Disorder).
... 64 Research has also documented disturbances in behavior after electro magnetic radiation exposure, including causing worker honeybees to produce specific sounds (piping), decreased egg laying rate, and reduced colony strength. 49,65 In 2020, Thielens et al. pro duced computer simulations of honey bees with their model of bee structures and also carried out RFR measurements near hives. 66 Employing five different computer models, they found that shift ing frequencies to above 3 GHz, as can occur with 5G, will result in a substantial increase in absorbed power, more than fivefold, compared to frequencies below 3 GHz. ...
... No similar reactions were recorded in bee colonies in which the mobile phone was persistently inactive (Favre 2011). Further studies found RF-EMR caused a decline in colony strength, egg laying rate, and activity of workers on honeycombs in addition to reduction in the success of pupal development (Kumar et al. 2011;Odemer and Odemer 2019;Sharma and Kumar 2010). Ecologically focused experiments with fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) were mainly centered on reproduction success and growth. ...
Artificial electromagnetic radiation is a new environmental factor that affects animals. Experiments with the effect of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation were focused on both vertebrates and invertebrates. Ticks showed a significant affinity to radiation. Our study is a continuation of this research and its aim was to monitor the effect of radiation on the behavior of four tick species: Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus, Dermacentor marginatus and Haemaphysalis inermis. In total 1,200 ticks, 300 of each species, were tested in modules allowing the choice of an exposed or shielded area. During the test, the ticks were exposed to electro-magnetic radiation of 900 MHz for 24 h. The position of the individuals was recorded and we evaluated the obtained data statistically. We observed a significant preference to the exposed area in both sexes of I. ricinus. Males of D. reticulatus and D. marginatus also showed an affinity to radiation, but not females of both species, nor females and males of H. inermis. The results of the study support the assumption that ticks perceive the electromagnetic field and the observed differences in their response have the potential to help understand the mechanism of perception.
... Honeybee uses the Earth's natural magnetic radiation to locate the way to its hives, but due to the emission of electromagnetic radiation from the mobile towers and mobile phones, magnetic radiation is high in frequency compared to earth (Paramanik and Paramanik, 2016) [23] . This causes confusion for the bees, and they fail to detect their hive location, which can cause honeybees to disappear or die (Sharma and Kumar, 2010) [27] . Some of the researchers revealed that standard evidence exists that the radiation from the EMF causes damage in honey bees. ...
... There are also observations regarding the influence of RF-EMF on honey bees, describing the general impact of RF-EMF on the colony and/or behavior of individual bees, such as: reduction in the number of individuals in colonies, extended homing flight duration, decrease in breeding efficiency, changes in flight direction (movement of bees toward the areas affected by RF-EMF), increase in the intensity and frequency of sounds characteristic for those announcing the impending danger [15][16][17]. While some of the above mentioned impacts of the RF-EMF can stem from disorientation caused by errant stimulus perception, other may be a result of the possible impact of RF-EMF on metabolism and/or cell signaling [18,19]. ...
There are many artificial sources of radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) in the environment, with a value between 100 MHz and 6 GHz. The most frequently used signal is with a frequency of around 900 MHz. The direction of these changes positively impacts the quality of life, enabling easy communication from almost anywhere in the world. All living organisms in the world feel the effects of the electromagnetic field on them. The observations regarding the influence of a RF-EMF on honey bees, describing the general impact of RF-EMF on the colony and/or behavior of individual bees, such as reduction in the number of individuals in colonies, extended homing flight duration, decrease in breeding efficiency, changes in flight direction (movement of bees toward the areas affected by RF-EMF), increase in the intensity and frequency of sounds characteristic for those announcing the impending danger. In this work, we describe the changes in the levels of some of the stress-related markers in honey bees exposed to varying intensities and duration of RF-EMF. One-day-old honeybee worker bees were used for the study. The bees were randomly assigned to 9 experimental groups which were exposed to the following 900 MHz EMF intensities: 12 V/m, 28 V/m, and 61 V/m for 15 min, 1 h and 3 h. The control group was not exposed to the RF-EMF. Each experimental group consisted of 10 cages in which were 100 bees. Then, hemolymph was collected from the bees, in which the activity was assessed AST, ALT, ALP, GGTP, and level of nonenzymatic antioxidants albumin, creatinine, uric acid, and urea. Bees were also collected for the analysis of rps5, ppo, hsp10, hsp70, hsp90, and vitellogenin gene expression. Our study shows that exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field induces a response in the honey bees that can be detected in the level of enzyme activity and the expression of stress-related genes. The response is similar to the one previously described as a result of exposition to UVB irradiation and most likely cannot be attributed to increased temperature.
... This leads to fewer honeybees returning to the colony, disorientation, or even a total loss of adult foragers (colony collapse disorder) (25). These negative effects of EMF could cascade into a number of additional effects on insects' physiology and behavior, including less pollen and honey harvested (26,27), impaired learning ability, flight dynamics, foraging, and feeding (28), as well as increased piping in the colony (29). Hence, perturbations in terms of EMF from anthropic sources would disrupt the pollination services provided by honeybees, as they would avoid places exposed to EMF (24). ...
We assessed the effect that electromagnetic field (EMF) exerts on honeybees' pollination efficiency using field and laboratory experiments. First, we measured levels of gene and protein expression in metabolic pathways involved in stress and behavioral responses elicited by EMF. Second, we assessed the effect of EMF on honeybee behavior and seed production by the honeybee-pollinated California poppy and, lastly, by measuring the consequences of pollination failure on plants' community richness and abundance. EMF exposure exerted strong physiological stress on honeybees as shown by the enhanced expression of heat-shock proteins and genes involved in antioxidant activity and affected the expression levels of behavior-related genes. Moreover, California poppy individuals growing near EMF received fewer honeybee visits and produced fewer seeds than plants growing far from EMF. Last, we found a hump-shaped relationship between EMF and plant species richness and plant abundance. Our study provides conclusive evidence of detrimental impacts of EMF on honeybee's pollination behavior, leading to negative effects on plant community.
... Some scientists believe that the new phenomenon of CCD is caused by electromagnetic radiation. Recent studies show that the death of many animals and insects, such as honey bees, birds, and amphibians, is caused by EMR field exposure [25][26][27]. Balmori's 2009 research on the effect of electromagnetic pollution from cell phone antennas on wildlife shows that microwave and radio frequency pollution has the potential to reduce animal and plant populations near cell phone towers. It becomes [28]. ...
p>With the advancement of technology, the development of telecommunication industries, the construction of new electrical devices, and the increasing use of electromagnetic field generators in modern industrial societies, the study of the biological effects of these waves on the growth and development of living organisms are of interest to many societies. The scientific world is placed. Today, one of the ecological problems is electromagnetic pollution in the environment. The use of mobile phones has increased in the world in recent years, which in turn adds to this pollution. Some bee species worldwide are becoming extinct, called the CCD phenomenon. Our goal in this article is to investigate the effect of electromagnetic waves and their relationship with the new phenomenon of CCD and to offer a proposal to guide bees to return to the hive by fluorescent blue light.</p
... Some scientists believe that the new phenomenon of CCD is caused by electromagnetic radiation. Recent studies show that the death of many animals and insects, such as honey bees, birds, and amphibians, is caused by EMR field exposure [25][26][27]. Balmori's 2009 research on the effect of electromagnetic pollution from cell phone antennas on wildlife shows that microwave and radio frequency pollution has the potential to reduce animal and plant populations near cell phone towers. It becomes [28]. ...
p>With the advancement of technology, the development of telecommunication industries, the construction of new electrical devices, and the increasing use of electromagnetic field generators in modern industrial societies, the study of the biological effects of these waves on the growth and development of living organisms are of interest to many societies. The scientific world is placed. Today, one of the ecological problems is electromagnetic pollution in the environment. The use of mobile phones has increased in the world in recent years, which in turn adds to this pollution. Some bee species worldwide are becoming extinct, called the CCD phenomenon. Our goal in this article is to investigate the effect of electromagnetic waves and their relationship with the new phenomenon of CCD and to offer a proposal to guide bees to return to the hive by fluorescent blue light.</p
... Some scientists believe that the new CCD phenomenon occurs due to electromagnetic radiation. Recent studies show that the mortality of many animals and insects, such as bees, birds and bivalves, is due to exposure to the EMR field [14][15][16]. In his study on the effect of pollution caused by electromagnetic waves of mobile phone antennas on honeybee, Balmori (2009) found that microwave and radio frequency contamination creates a weird potential to reduce the population of animals and plants near mobile towers [17]. ...
Today, one of the biological problems is electromagnetic pollution in the environment. The intensity of electromagnetic radiation is so pervasive that it is now known as a form of latent and silent pollution. The study of the biological effects of these waves on the growth and development of living insects-such as bees-are considered by many scientific communities around the world. However, the response of honey/wild bees to traps designed to selectively stimulate bee light receptors by fluorescent light indicated that selective arousal of the blue light receptor type was highly attractive. In this paper, to selectively stimulate the blue light receiver in bee species in order to guide the bee navigation system to return to its hive and prevent the colony collapse disorder (CCD) phenomenon, high-efficiency continuous laser emission by second-harmonic line width of 456 nm Nd:GdVO4 laser is proposed.
... Some scientists believe that the new phenomenon of CCD is caused by electromagnetic radiation. Recent studies show that the death of many animals and insects, such as honey bees, birds, and amphibians, is caused by EMR field exposure [25][26][27]. Balmori's 2009 research on the effect of electromagnetic pollution from cell phone antennas on wildlife shows that microwave and radio frequency pollution has the potential to reduce animal and plant populations near cell phone towers. It becomes [28]. ...
With the advancement of technology, the development of telecommunication industries, the construction of new electrical devices, and the increasing use of electromagnetic field generators in modern industrial societies, the study of the biological effects of these waves on the growth and development of living organisms are of interest to many societies. The scientific world is placed. Today, one of the ecological problems is electromagnetic pollution in the environment. The use of mobile phones has increased in the world in recent years, which in turn adds to this pollution. Some bee species worldwide are becoming extinct, called the CCD phenomenon. Our goal in this article is to investigate the effect of electromagnetic waves and their relationship with the new phenomenon of CCD and to offer a proposal to guide bees to return to the hive by fluorescent blue light.
... Over recent years, honeybee numbers in much of Europe and North America have been dwindling. This has been attributed to a wide range of factors-from pesticides such as neonicotinoids [1] to the rise of largely monoculture agriculture in many areas [2], and even the microwave electromagnetic radiation used in mobile telecommunications [3]. ...
Honeybees are vital to both the agricultural industry and the wider ecological system, most importantly for their role as major pollinators of flowering plants, many of which are food crops. Honeybee colonies are dependent on having a healthy queen for their long-term survival since the queen bee is the only reproductive female in the colony. Thus, as the death or loss of the queen is of great negative impact for the well-being of a honeybee colony, beekeepers need to be aware if a queen has died in any of their hives so that appropriate remedial action can be taken. In this paper, we describe our approaches to using acoustic signals recorded in beehives and machine learning algorithms to identify whether beehives do or do not contain a healthy queen. Our results are extremely positive and should help beekeepers decide whether intervention is needed to preserve the colony in each of their hives.
... Söz konusu etkilerin iyonların dağılımındaki farklılıklarla ilgili olduğu belirtilmiştir (Yadollahpour & Jalilifar, 2014). Ayrıca bazı yazarlara göre, elektromanyetik alanlar; koloni çöküş bozukluğu olarak bilinen arıların ortadan kaybolması ile bağlantılıdır ve bunun ayrıca kuş göçüne de müdahale edebileceği yönünde görüşler mevcuttur (Sharma & Kumar, 2010). ...
Teknoloji insan sağlığını birçok boyuttan etkileyebilme potansiyeline sahiptir. Radyo frekans dalgaları yayan radyo-televizyon verici ve alıcıları, baz istasyonları, yüksek gerilim hatları, trafolar başta olmak üzere elektrikle çalışan tüm cihazların bir elektromanyetik alan oluşturduğu ve biyolojik açıdan risk faktörü oluşturarak geniş boyutta bir kirlilik yarattığı bilinmektedir. Elektromanyetik alan kaynakları; telekomünikasyon alanında doğrudan radyo frekans sinyalleri üzerinden haberleşmede kullanılan cihazlardan yayılan dalgalar ile amacı, ortama herhangi bir elektromanyetik dalga yaymak olmayan ancak işleyişi için gerekli enerjinin kullanımı sebebiyle cihaz dışına yayılması önlenemeyen dalgalar yayan tüm cihazları ifade eder. Elektromanyetik kirlilik, çevre ve insan sağlığı üzerinde olumsuz etkilere sahip elektrik ve manyetik alan bileşen dalgalarının oluşturduğu alanın limit değerlerinin üzerinde olmasıdır. Elektromanyetik kirliliği oluşturan temel faktör, elektromanyetik alanlardır. Elektromanyetik alanların, hücre zarındaki reseptörlerin duyarlılığı üzerinden etkili oldukları düşünülmektedir. Elektromanyetik alana uzun süreli maruziyet, hücre içerisinde iyonik değişimler ve dengesizlikler oluşturmakta, hücrede RNA transkripsiyonu ve DNA sentezinde bozukluklarla birlikte hücrenin nörotransmitter ve hormonal uyarı sistemlerinde anomalileri beraberinde getirmektedir. Elektromanyetik alanların insanlar üzerindeki biyolojik etkileri hakkında birçok çalışma yapılmıştır. Elektromanyetik alanların nörogenez, morfogenez, sinaptogenez, apoptoz, uyku, öğrenme ve hafıza, elektrolit dengesi ve kan basıncının sürdürülmesi, immunmodulasyon, stres yanıtı, hücresel çoğalma ve diferansiyasyon gibi birçok fizyolojik faaliyet üzerinde etkileri olduğu gösterilmiştir. Elektromanyetik alanların oluşturduğu elektriksel alan değerlerine kıyasla daha büyük enerjilerin vücudumuzda kimyasal reaksiyonlar sonucu oluştuğu gerçeğinden hareketle, vücudumuzdaki enerjiye oranla oldukça düşük kalan bu enerjinin DNA üzerinde kalıcı değişikliklere sebep olamayacağı da öne sürülen bir başka görüştür. Bu inceleme söz konusu kavramları araştırmakta ve elektromanyetik alan maruziyetinin etkilerini, kanıta dayalı şekilde özetleyerek bilgi boşluklarını doldurmaktadır. Abstract: Technology has the potential to affect human health in many ways. It is known that all electrically operated devices, especially radio-television transmitters and receivers, base stations, high voltage lines, transformers, which emit radio frequency waves, create an electromagnetic field and create a large-scale pollution by creating a biological risk factor. Electromagnetic field sources; It refers to the waves emitted from the devices used in communication directly over radio frequency signals in the telecommunication field and all the devices that emit waves whose purpose is not to emit any electromagnetic waves to the environment, but whose spread outside the device cannot be prevented due to the use of the energy necessary for its operation. Electromagnetic pollution is the fact that the area created by the electric and magnetic field component waves, which have negative effects on the environment and human health, is above the limit values. The main factor that creates electromagnetic pollution is electromagnetic fields. Electromagnetic fields are thought to be effective through the sensitivity of the receptors in the cell membrane. Long-term exposure to the electromagnetic field creates ionic changes and imbalances in the cell, and brings along abnormalities in the neurotransmitter and hormonal stimulation systems of the cell, along with disorders in RNA transcription and DNA synthesis in the cell. Many studies have been conducted on the biological effects of electromagnetic fields on humans. It has been shown that electromagnetic fields have effects on many physiological activities such as neurogenesis, morphogenesis, synaptogenesis, apoptosis, sleep, learning and memory, electrolyte balance and maintenance of blood pressure, immunomodulation, stress response, cellular proliferation and differentiation. Based on the fact that larger energies are formed as a result of chemical reactions in our body compared to the electrical field values created by electromagnetic fields, it is another view that is claimed that this energy, which is quite low compared to the energy in our body, cannot cause permanent changes in DNA. This review explores these concepts and fills in the knowledge gaps by summarizing the effects of electromagnetic field exposure in an evidence-based manner.
... Some RFR effects seen in bees include: significant inhibitory effects on sensory olfactory excitability and short term memory impairment after 24-h WiFi-router exposure (116); induced worker piping-the sound that initiates swarming behavior in colonies, or as a warning/distress signal-that demonstrated 900-MHz GSM is a stressor to bees (117); reduced motor activity and changes in biomolecules in the body (118); reduction of worker bees and reduced egg laying by queens exposed to cell phone radiation (119); reduced hatching and altered pupal development after cell phone radiation exposure (120); decrease in comb weight and delayed return or hive abandonment after exposure to DECT phone radiation (121,122); changes in carbohydrate, lipid, and protein concentrations in the body with cell phone radiation exposure (123,124); and increased mortality with exposure to HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (868 MHz) RFR (125). RFR has also been implicated in colony collapse disorder (117,126,127). ...
There is enough evidence to indicate we may be damaging non-human species at ecosystem and biosphere levels across all taxa from rising background levels of anthropogenic non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) from 0 Hz to 300 GHz. The focus of this Perspective paper is on the unique physiology of non-human species, their extraordinary sensitivity to both natural and anthropogenic EMF, and the likelihood that artificial EMF in the static, extremely low frequency (ELF) and radiofrequency (RF) ranges of the non-ionizing electromagnetic spectrum are capable at very low intensities of adversely affecting both fauna and flora in all species studied. Any existing exposure standards are for humans only; wildlife is unprotected, including within the safety margins of existing guidelines, which are inappropriate for trans-species sensitivities and different non-human physiology. Mechanistic, genotoxic, and potential ecosystem effects are discussed.
... [10][11] In recent years, several areas worldwide have seen a significant drop in honey bee hives. [12] The decline in the bee population in western countries has been shocking in recent years, with agricultural production being one of the leading causes, [13][14] pesticide use, [3] habitat fragmentation, [15] climate change [16] and to some extent the lack of floral diversity [17][18] pests, parasites and predators are also foremost causes. Honeybees are ectothermic, which means that the temperature of the environment regulates their movement. ...
Insect pollinators, especially honey bees, are an essential biotic factor in the reproductive success of plants that rely on insects for pollination. Their extinction would endanger food production and
sustainable biodiversity. Climate change, habitat destruction, fragmentation, the prevalence of diseases, parasites, insufficient nutrition, extensive agricultural practices and invasion by foreign
and predatory species contribute to the decline of the honey bee population. The present study aims to observe and document the factors affecting the population of honey bees in the study
area. Thus, a comprehensive survey of 59 modern and 42 traditional apiaries in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, India, was conducted. In the present study, the most common nuisances of honeybees were insects, followed by avian fauna and arachnids. Apart from insects and arachnids, four bird species were nesting and roaming around beehives. Few insects and reptiles belonging to the non-pest category were also spotted infesting the hives in the study sites. It has been
observed that these factors negatively affect the bee population. Managing these factors is crucial in conserving the native and captive bees to sustain the environment.
... Sesame's blossom structure facilitates cross pollination, even though the crop is usually viewed as self-pollinating. The rate of cross-pollination lies between 0.5% and 65% depending on insect activity, environmental conditions and availability of other vegetation (Sharma and Kumar 2010). Since the average yield of sesame is low in Bangladesh bee pollination may be an effective tool to increase the productivity. ...
The experiment was conducted at the farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka to observe the foraging behavior of Apis mellifera in sesame field. The treatments were T 1 (Caged with honeybees); T 2 (Caged without honeybees) and T 3 (Open plot). The result revealed that the highest number (101.8) of Apis mellifera pollinator visitation was in T 1 treatment. The highest number of pollinator visitation was recorded from 6:00 to 9:00 am in all the three treatments. Whereas, the lowest number of visitation was recorded in midday (2:00 to 3:00 pm). T 1 treatment caged with honeybee was the most effective in increasing flower number per plant (101.25), number of capsule per plant (86.5) and number of seeds per capsule (56.8) followed by the T 3 treatment, which was significantly different. The 1000-seed weight was the highest in T 1 (3.5 g) treatment followed by T 3 (3.20 g). Yield of sesame was the highest (1.2 t/ha) in Caged with honeybee followed by open plot. Insect of Hymenoptera order increased (38.0%) with increasing percentage of flowers. The majority of the sesame flower bloomed between third and fourth week and flowering lasted for 42-50 days. Most of the bees were recorded when the number of flowers per plant was maximum (83.5) at the fourth week of flowering. Bee population decreased with the diminishing of flowers per plant due to advancing age of the crops.
... Low power base stations will result in reduction of interference and R. F. pollution substantially. This has been proved beyond doubt through simulations and practically too by researchers [16] - [18]. Proposed small cell base station (SCBS) network is not only spectrum efficient but also it will reduce power consumption and R. F. pollution drastically. ...
... The major reason for the extinction of these pollinators is habitat loss and fragmentation, agricultural chemicals, pests and diseases, climate change and the interactions between them (Potts et al. 2010). Recently new dimension of studies registering various unimaginable causes of honey bees' population decline, one among these is microwave radiation from mobile towers (Sharma and Kumar 2010). However, these are only reliable data on drivers of pollinators decline. ...
... According to certain studies, honeybees do not rely on the electromagnetic field (EMF) to navigate, and many apiaries that are experiencing losses are in rural areas where cell phone service is absent. The World Health Organization confirmed the same data; however, some researchers revealed that there was standard evidence that the EMF could cause damage in honeybees [95,96]. It was associated with increased bees activity, increased inside temperature, increased queen loss, abnormal real cell production, weight loss, and reduced operculated brood [97]. ...
Honeybees are the most prevalent insect pollinator species; they pollinate a wide rangeof crops. Colony collapse disorder (CCD), which is caused by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors,incurs high economic/ecological loss. Despite extensive research to identify and study the variousecological stressors such as microbial infections, exposure to pesticides, loss of habitat, and improperbeekeeping practices that are claimed to cause these declines, the deep understanding of the observedlosses of these important insects is still missing. Honeybees have an innate immune system, whichincludes physical barriers and cellular and humeral responses to defend against pathogens andparasites. Exposure to various stressors may affect this system and the health of individual bees andcolonies. This review summarizes and discusses the composition of the honeybee immune systemand the consequences of exposure to stressors, individually or in combinations, on honeybee immunecompetence. In addition, we discuss the relationship between bee nutrition and immunity. Nutritionand phytochemicals were highlighted as the factors with a high impact on honeybee immunity
... In North America, European honeybee populations have plummeted (up to 50 percent of established colonies) (Kraus and Page 1995). The drop in bee populations in western countries has been dramatic in recent years, with intensive agriculture being one of the main causes (Bjorklund et al. 1999;Kremen et al. 2002), use of pesticides (Kevan 1999), habitat fragmentation (Cane et al. 2006), climate change (Hegland et al. 2009), also to some extent, lack of floral diversity, urbanization (Kearns and Oliveras 2009), disturbance by humans, conflict with non-native species, illness, predators, and parasites, and, of course, pesticides and radiation are all factors to consider (Sharma and Kumar 2010). ...
Pollination and ecosystem sustainability are the two chief varieties of services provided by honey bees and they play a paramount role in the functioning of an ecosystem and human lives. Apis cerana, Apis mellifera, Apis florea and Apis dorsata are the main species of honey bees found all over the world. Honey, beeswax, royal jelly and propolis are the core products produced by honey bees. This review aims to emphasize and bring together the facts and ground realities leading to the decline of the honey bee population. The declining population of bees is a serious threat to ecosystem services therefore researchers around the world are consequently interested in understanding the causes and concerns. The reasons responsible for the fall in the honey bee population were bacteria, viruses, parasites and other invaders, including certain chemicals, toxic substances, improper nutrition and dirty farming practices. Conservation and management strategies are much needed to counter the decline of these important insects in the interest of global ecosystem services and commercial benefits.
... Honeybee uses the Earth's natural magnetic radiation to locate the way to its hives, but due to the emission of electromagnetic radiation from the mobile towers and mobile phones, magnetic radiation is high in frequency compared to earth (Paramanik and Paramanik, 2016) [23] . This causes confusion for the bees, and they fail to detect their hive location, which can cause honeybees to disappear or die (Sharma and Kumar, 2010) [27] . Some of the researchers revealed that standard evidence exists that the radiation from the EMF causes damage in honey bees. ...
... Studies on the influence of RF-EMF on oxidative stress and/or genotoxicity in honey bees are very scarce, especially related to various developmental stages. Previous studies regarding the effects of RF-EMF in honey bee colonies mostly investigated its impacts on honey production and foraging activity, colony strength, the egg laying rate of queens, and the behavior of the honey bees (SHARMA and KUMAR, 2010;FAVRE, 2011;MALL and KUMAR, 2014;KUMAR et al., 2016;FAVRE, 2017;PATEL and MALL 2019;LOPATINA et al., 2019;TLAK GAJGER et al., 2019). However, there are still many uncertainties and controversies about the effect of RF-EM radiation on honey bee colonies. ...
Exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) at the operating frequencies of different communication
devices can cause various biological effects. However, there is a lack of studies on the oxidative stress response and
genotoxicity in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) after exposure to RF-EMF. In this study, we investigated the oxidative
stress and DNA damage in honey bee larvae situated in waxcomb cells, exposed to modulated RF-EMF 23 Vm-1. The
glutathione S-transferase activity decreased, whereas the catalase activity increased significantly in the honey bee larvae
upon RF-EMF exposure. Superoxide dismutase activity, the level of lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage were not
statistically altered in exposed honey bee larvae when compared to the control group. These results suggest that the
biological effects of modulated RF-EMF in honey bee larvae depend on the exposure design.
... The negative effects of electromagnetic radiation emitted by antennas, cell phones and high voltage power lines have been studied in humans [110][111][112][113] and in animals, including mice [114], bats [115], birds [116,117] and insects [118]. On bees, both electromagnetic fields generated by cell phones [109,119,120] and those generated by high voltage electricity transport lines [121] were studied. In this study, the cumulative effect of chemical and electromagnetic field exposure (multi-stress conditions) showed the worst general health condition, considering colony survival, pathology emergence and behavioural anomalies such as abnormal honey storage and excess of drone brood deposition. ...
Honeybee and general pollinator decline is extensively reported in many countries, adding new concern to the general biodiversity loss. Many studies were addressed to assess the causes of pollinator decline, concluding that in most cases multi-stress effects were the most probable ones. In this research, the combined effects of two possible stress sources for bees, pesticides and electromagnetic fields (multi-stress conditions), were analyzed in the field. Three experimental sites were chosen: a control one far from direct anthropogenic stress sources, a pesticide-stress site and multi-stress one, adding to the same exposure to pesticides the presence of an electromagnetic field, coming from a high-voltage electric line. Experimental apiaries were monitored weekly for one year (from April 2017 to April 2018) by means of colony survival, queen activity, storage and brood amount, parasites and pathogens, and several biomarkers in young workers and pupae. Both exposure and effect biomarkers were analysed: among the first, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS); and among the last, DNA fragmentation (DNAFRAGM) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Results showed that bee health conditions were the worst in the multi-stress site with only one colony alive out of the four ones present at the beginning. In this site, a complex picture of adverse effects was observed, such as disease appearance (American foulbrood), higher mortality in the underbaskets (common to pesticide-stress site), behavioral alterations (queen changes, excess of honey storage) and biochemical anomalies (higher ALP activity at the end of the season). The overall results clearly indicate that the multi-stress conditions were able to induce biochemical, physiological and behavioral alterations which severely threatened bee colony survival.
... Wireless technologies, such as mobile phones, cordless phones, base stations, WiFi, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G emit radiofrequency (RF) radiation, also called microwave radiation. For a long time there has been concern among laymen and a large part of the scientific community that such radiation may be a health hazard and also have a negative effect on the environment including birds [1], insects [2] and plants [3,4]. ...
... The mobile phones release radiation that affect the behaviour of the honey bees, such as the loss of returning bees, honey and brood in the colony (Sharma & Kumar 2010). The intensity of the emit-ted radiation increases considerably when the user speaks during connection (Panagopoulos et al. 2002). ...
The current study evaluated the effect of electromagnetic radiation on the stomach cells of honey bee foragers. Normal cells are distinguished by different heights with well-developed muscular layers and an internal plasma membrane. During our study we used a mobile phone (Samsung F400) with the provider Vodafone, Egypt and a carrier frequency range of 900–1900 MHz. Bee workers were captured while returning from the field to the hive (about 23 days old). When honey bee foragers were exposed to mobile phone radiation for 20 min, the stomach cells were completely decayed. With regard to stomach cells which were exposed for 10 min, some parts of the cells were completely lysed, appeared as a thin tubular-like layer, or as compact mass, and the internal plasma membranes were not clear. Also, the chemical element composition of the cells exposed to 10 min of mobile phone radiation was affected as follows: Mg, Ca, Zn and Fe elements were significantly increased, while sulphate elements were significantly decreased. The current study demonstrated that mobile phone radiation is harmful to honey bee stomach cells, and we recommend limiting the use of mobile phones near hives.
... In another study, with GSM (900-MHz) cell phones, a significant decline in colony strength and egg-laying rate by the queen was observed. The behaviour of exposed foragers was negatively influenced by such exposure: there was neither honey nor pollen in the colony at the end of the experiment (Sharma and Kumar, 2010). In another study, queens exposed to telephone radiation in the test colonies produced fewer eggs/day compared to the control (Sainudeen Sahib, 2011). ...
The biodiversity of insects is threatened worldwide. Numerous studies have reported the serious decline in insects that has occurred in recent decades. The same is happening with the important group of pollinators, with an essential utility for pollination of crops. Loss of insect diversity and abundance is expected to provoke cascading effects on food webs and ecosystem services. Many authors point out that reductions in insect abundance must be attributed mainly to agricultural practices and pesticide use. On the other hand, evidence for the effects of non-thermal microwave radiation on insects has been known for at least 50 years. The review carried out in this study shows that electromagnetic radiation should be considered seriously as a complementary driver for the dramatic decline in insects, acting in synergy with agricultural intensification, pesticides, invasive species and climate change. The extent that anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation represents a significant threat to insect pollinators is unresolved and plausible. For these reasons, and taking into account the benefits they provide to nature and humankind, the precautionary principle should be applied before any new deployment (such 5G) is considered.
... According to researchers, this may have been due to a disruption in communication among bees. While studying radiofrequencies in field conditions, Sharma and Kumar [42] noticed a decrease in the efficiency of bee colonies and a decrease in reproductive abilities. It was interesting that the frequency of occurrence and the total time that bees spent on wing movement increased for the 11.5 kV/m 3 h and 34.5 kV/m 6 h groups, in contrast to the other parameters, which decreased or remained at a level similar to the control group. ...
EM-fields come from both natural and anthropogenic sources. This study aimed to investigate changes in honeybee behavior parameters under the influence of an electric field at 50 Hz and variable intensity. Bees were exposed for 1 h, 3 h, or 6 h to the following artificial E-field intensities: 5.0 kV/m, 11.5 kV/m, 23.0 kV/m, or 34.5 kV/m. Bees in the control group were under the influence of an E-field <2.0 kV/m. Six basic behaviors were selected for bee observation (walking, grooming, flight, stillness, contact between individuals, and wing movement). Our research shows the impact of bee exposure time on behavioral change within groups. Exposure for 3 h caused a decrease in the time that bees spent on behaviors and in the number of occurrences. After 6 h, the parameters increased within the groups, as was the case with 1 h exposure. This may indicate that there is a behavioral barrier that allows the pattern to normalize for some time.
... These data agreed with FCC, (1999), Hsu, and Li (1994), Harst, et al. (2006), Stever, et al. (2007, Kumar, et al. (2010), Sharma and Kumar (2010), Sainudeen (2011), Kumar et al. (2013) and Shepherd et al. (2019) ...
... The anthropogenic disturbances such as alterations in land use, loss of habitat and climate change are liable for pollinators to decline (Kearns, et al., 1998;Aguilar, et al., 2006;Hegland, et al., 2009; . Studies reported that exposure to electromagnetic smog, honeybees are often unable to return to their hives, which lead to colony collapse (Harst, et al. 2006;Warnke 2009;Favre, 2011;Sharma and Kumar, 2010;Sahib, 2011). The effects of radiofrequency magnetic fields has been reported on the interruption of magnetoreception in the American cockroach (Vacha, et al. 2009). ...
Pollinators play a key functional role in most terrestrial ecosystems and provide important ecosystem service to maintain wild plant communities and agricultural productivity. The decline in pollinators has been related to anthropogenic disturbances such as habitat loss, alterations in land use, and climate change. The surge in mobile telephony has led to a marked increase in electromagnetic fields in the atmosphere, which may affect pollinator and pollination. Several laboratory studies have reported negative effects of electromagnetic radiation on reproduction, development, and navigation in insects. The abundance of insects such as the beetle, wasp, and hoverfly, decreased with electromagnetic radiation(EMR), whereas the abundance of underground-nesting wild bees and bee fly unexpectedly increased with EMR. Potential risks for pollinators and biodiversity are anthropogenic radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (AREMR) (light, radiofrequency). Artificial light at night (ALAN) can alter the function and abundance of pollinator. Evidence of impacts of AREMR is not adequate due to a lack of high quality, field-realistic studies. Whether pollinators experiencing a threat of ALAN or AREMR, while major knowledge gap exists. In this review, the effects of EMR on wild pollinator groups such as wild bees, hoverflies, bee flies, beetles, butterflies, and wasps etc. have been highlighted. Researchers are also recommended for further study on the effects of EMR on insects. This study will be significant to conserve pollinators and other important insects.
The decline in honeybee’s populations worldwide has raised concerns about potential environmental stressors, including electromagnetic radiation from various sources such as cell phone towers and wireless communication devices. Various Researchers investigated the impact of electromagnetic radiation on honeybee behaviour and health. Their findings revealed that the exposure to electromagnetic radiation caused alterations in honeybee foraging behaviour, resulting in reduced foraging activity and decreased pollen and nectar collection. Additionally, bees exposed to higher radiation levels showed impaired navigation abilities and reduced homing success, potentially affecting their ability to find their way back to the hive accurately. They also observed changes in honeybee communication patterns, with modifications in the waggle dancing pattern, a vital form of communication used to share information about food sources along with detrimental effect on colony productivity and organization. In conclusion, this chapter provides insight into the potential effects of electromagnetic radiation on honeybee behaviour and communication. With several high-tech revolutions in the field of science & Technology, such issued requires aggressive research to ensure the long-term environment sustainability. Further research is still needed to assess effects of electromagnetic radiation on long-term exposure in order to understand how these changes in behaviour with other stressors in the environment, ultimately shaping honeybee population dynamics.
Badania pozostałości środków ochrony roślin akredytowaną metodą multipozostałościową LC-MS/MS wykonano w Zakładzie Badania Bezpieczeństwa Żywności Instytutu Ogrodnictwa w Skierniewicach. Łącznie przebadano 18 próbek miodu rzepakowego, 3 próbki plastrów pszczelich, 2 próbki odsklepin oraz 1 próbkę pyłku. Pochodzenie botaniczne próbek zweryfikowano metodą mikroskopowej analizy pyłkowej w Laboratorium Badania Jakości Produktów Pszczelich Zakładu Pszczelnictwa IO w Puławach.
We wszystkich próbkach produktów pszczelich stwierdzono obecność środków ochrony roślin. Wykryto następujące substancje czynne stosowane w środkach grzybobójczych: karbendazym, azoksystrobinę, boskalid, pentiopirad, tebukonazol. Z grupy środków owadobójczych stosowanych w formie oprysków stwierdzono obecność neonikotynoidów: acetamiprydu i tiachloprydu. W piętnastu próbkach miodu oznaczono acetamipryd (Mospilan), którego poziom w pięciu próbkach przekroczył najwyższy dopuszczalny poziom (NDP EU). W czternastu
próbkach miodu wykryto obecność tiachloprydu (Proteus, Calypso). Ponadto aż w jedenastu próbkach miodu stwierdzono obecność amitrazu (substancji aktywnej leków stosowanych do zwalczania pasożyta pszczół V. destructor) oraz metabolitów jego rozkładu – 2,4-dimetyloforpszczelich natomiast wykryto acetamipryd i tiachlopryd, a w odsklepinach – DMF (metabolit amitrazu).
Słowa kluczowe | miód rzepakowy, produkty pszczele, pozostałości pestycydów, metoda QuEChERS, LC-MS/MS
Abstract |
Tests of residues of plant protection products by the accredited multi-residue method LC-MS/MS were carried out at the Food Safety Laboratory, Research Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice. A total of 18 rape honey samples, 3 wax comb samples, 2 honey capping wax samples and 1 pollen sample were tested. The botanical origin of honey samples was verified by pollen microscopic method in Bee Products Quality Testing Laboratory Apicultural Division Research Institute of Horticulture in Puławy. Active substances of pesticides were found in all tested samples. The following active substances used in fungicides were found: carbendazim, azoxystrobin, boscalid, penthiopyrad and tebuconazole. From insecticides used as spraying, the presence of neonicotinoids acetamiprid
and thiacloprid was found. Fifteen samples of honey were contaminated by acetamiprid (Mospilan), where five samples exceeded the maximum residue level (NDP EU). In fourteen honey samples the residues of thiacloprid (Proteus, Calypso) was detected. In addition, as much as eleven samples of honey were contaminated by amitraz (the active substance of drugs used to control the parasitic mite V. destructor) and the metabolites of its degradation – 2,4-dimethylformamide
(DMF) and 2,4-dimethylphenyl-N’-methylformamidine (DMPF). In contrast, acetamiprid and thiacloprid were found in samples of combs, and DMF (the metabolite of amitraz) was found in the honey capping wax.
Keywords | rape honey, bee products, pesticides residues, QuEChERS method,
LC-MS/MS
Today, one of the biological problems is electromagnetic pollution in the environment. The intensity of electromagnetic radiation is so pervasive that it is now known as a form of latent and silent pollution. The study of the biological effects of these waves on the growth and development of living insects - such as bees - are considered by many scientific communities around the world. However, the response of honey/wild bees to traps designed to selectively stimulate bee light receptors by fluorescent light indicated that selective arousal of the blue light receptor type was highly attractive. In this paper, to selectively stimulate the blue light receiver in bee species in order to guide the bee navigation system to return to its hive and prevent the colony collapse disorder (CCD) phenomenon, high-efficiency continuous laser emission by second-harmonic line width of 456 nm Nd:GdVO 4 laser is proposed.
In recent years, plant‐associated microbiota has received considerable
attention for their ability in crop improvement, productivity and stability. All
plants, and nearly all plant tissues, are inhabited by a variety of
microorganisms. Many of them offer benefits to the plants, by improving
nutrient uptake, increasing plant growth under adverse environmental
conditions and preventing pathogen attack. In return microorganisms have
access to a carbon‐rich food supply and shelter from host and the surrounding
environment. The interaction between plant and microorganism is quite
complex. Best elucidated symbiotic systems are legumes and the nitrogen
fixing rhizobium and host plants and mycorrhiza fungi, a and their influence
on crop management, soil parameters and climatic effects are well studied. In
addition, the knowledge about plant‐endophyte, plant‐epiphyte, and plantrhizosphere
flora is rapidly growing. Numerous species of plant growth
promoting bacteria form biofilm when colonizing roots, which can affect biogeochemical
processes and can result in increased availability of poorly
available mineral nutrients. Four major groups of microorganisms are
considered as beneficial to plants: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), plant
growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), nitrogen‐fixing rhizobia, which are
usually not considered to be PGPR, and microbial biocontrol agents, which
are composed of viruses, bacteria, yeasts and fungi. The integration of
beneficial plant-microbe and microbiome interactions may represent a
promising sustainable solution to improve agricultural production. The
response is mediated and linked with several molecules, generally messenger
molecules which activate the pathogen-responsive genes coding for
antimicrobial compounds or enzymes. However, the responses specifically a
gene-for-gene interaction recognition system by triggering a biochemical
attack and programmed cell death. A synthetic biology approach to design microbial consortia combining desired mechanisms, pathways and
interactions is a promising approach. New biotechnological products are
currently being developed based on stimulation of the plant defense response,
and on the use of plant-beneficial bacteria for biological control of plant
diseases (biopesticides), abiotic stresses and for plant growth promotion
(biofertilizers). Modern technologies such as next-generation sequencing
(NGS), omics approaches (metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics,
metabolomics), and computational tools enable the understanding of
community-level molecular aspects of the PM interactions governing the plant
traits.
A review of the impact of mobile phone and base station radiation on human health and the environment has been presented here. Cell phone is an important invention in human history that has revolutionized people's lifestyles. As mobile phones have become an integral part of human daily routine, the quality of life around the world has improved significantly. However, concerns about the exposure of people, flora and fauna to radio frequencies are not new. The satisfaction and convenience derived from the use of cellular phones is threatened by claims that the radiation emitted by the devices has unfavarable impacts on human health. The effects of radiation may be classified into non-thermal and thermal. Thermal effects are similar to those of cooking in a microwave oven. The non-thermal effects are not properly defined, but it is been learnt that the these effects are three to four times more hazardous than the thermal, which remains controversial. A brief picture of the Indian scenario of cell phone industry and the number of mobile towers in India was discussed. The effects of radiation emitted from cell phones and base stations on wildlife, humans and the environment were summarized with suitable examples and studies conducted by various voluntary organizations.
Apiculture now emerged as an important segment of agriculture in rural as well as urban areas. The prompt identification of beekeeping suitability areas is strategic for maximizing productivity. The Analytical Hierarchy Process is a tool to support decision-making in the identification of suitable sites with utmost potential for various agricultural practices. This study tested a GIS based AHP tool to assess urban beekeeping suitability zones in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Kerala state. Furthermore, the study utilized data, which were completely retrieved from various public sector repositories. The resulting map indicates, over 65% of the land area of the corporation have a high or very high potential of apiculture. The map can also be utilized by Government agencies to implement various promotional measures and also the beekeepers to identify suitable sites for apiary location and relocation for maximizing their profit. The study also created a model for utilization of public data domains for decision making, using GIS. Keywords: Apiculture; multi-criteria decision analysis; GIS; AHP classification
Apiculture has become a profitable profession due to the high economic importance of honey and various beehive products. Honeybees are tiny social insects that perform a crucial function in the agricultural field and are necessary for good yields. Hon-eybees are the biological indicators of environmental health. Unforeseen rapid decrease in honeybee numbers characterized by the departure of honeybees from the colonies and accompanied by the total absence of any dead bees in the hive surrounding and inside it suggests a condition called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Pesticides, pathogens, and other ecological stresses such as nutritional deficiency may add to bee extinction or CCD. Besides this, the exposure to low-level radiofrequency and microwave radiations from mobile phones also have profound undesirable effects on honeybees. Research has shown changes in biology and behaviour which includes some undesirable changes in the biomolecules concentration in honeybees because of radiation exposure. Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF ) also affects honeybee`s immune system and navigation activities. The radiation induces emotional disturbance and genetic disorders in brood which attributes to a decline in the breeding efficiency of bees. The present review is an attempt to compile the causes of CCD and discuss the management practices to be followed by the beekeepers to avoid the devastating loss to them and the planet Earth.
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity is categorised as a multisymptomatic 'el-allergy' in the Nordic classification of 2000 (R.68.8). Its symptoms are 'certainly real' and it can be a 'disabling condition' (W.H.O., 2005). It was first recorded in the mid 20th century as an occupational illness, but it has now spread into the general population through environmental exposure from increasing levels of electromagnetic fields and radiation.
This Summary covers current research on this syndrome, covering EM Sensitivity and EM Hypersensitivity. It includes tables of symptoms, EMF sources and exposure guidelines, along with references to scientific studies.
This New Edition adds updates, international doctors' protocols, aspects of quantum biology, evidence for sensitivity in animals and plants, case studies, disability issues and human rights.
In 21 st century almost every person uses cell phone throughout the world. However, the exposures of radiation emitted by the cell phone are not known to the individuals. Enormous exposure of unwanted electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell phone in human life is increasing and expected to be in peak coming days due to the technological innovation such as 5G may have serious health hazards. There are numerous reports stated that radiation emitted by cell phone may be responsible biological as well as environmental hazards. However, due to the lack of awareness and knowledge of radiation emitted from cell phone, we expose our self in unnecessary radiation. Therefore, our main aim of the review article is to collect data from different studies and bring it up about the affect of cell phone radiation in human as well as in environment. The review also will focus on its exposure standards and its health and environmental implications, precautionary measure to avoid effect of cell phone radiation.
The point of using the designation ‘pseudo-science’ or the rhetoric of ‘fake news’ against established scientists, currently deployed on social media to flag certain posts, despite whatever good research reasons such scientists have for holding such alternative views, is to rule their views unworthy of consideration especially for the layperson or public reader who is either encouraged to ignore such posts or discouraged from accessing or even blocked in accord with fact-checker dictum. Arguably, some of this follows from our need to believe in ‘science’ in place of religion and to see science as a checkable repository, the locus of truth unchanging. But science, if it is science, progresses and this can only mean that science undergoes change and even revolutionary transformation. Now more than ever, we need research quite as opposed to science by fiat.
The increasing level of electromagnetic frequency radiations in the atmosphere is giving rise to a new type of environmental pollution referred to as 'Electrosmog'. The honey bees are susceptible to environmental changes, diseases and are attacked by natural enemies. Recently a sharp decline in the population of honey bees has been observed all over the world. This decline in population is not necessarily due to the natural enemies but is often caused by the activities of man such as deforestation, habitat alterations and now unscientific proliferation of cell phones and use of electronic gadgets. Therefore in the present study the impact of cell phone radiations on various biochemical and physiochemical aspects of haemolymph and semen of drone honey bee Apis mellifera L. was observed. The drones were exposed to radiations for 30 minutes, using live cell phones kept in working mode with tape recorder at the speaker end, and positive response at the receiver's end. The parameters were analyzed and compared with that of control drones. The concentration of various biomolecules-viz. carbohydrates, proteins and lipids were found to be increased whereas, the activities of seminal enzymes decreased leading to reduced utilization of the biomolecules, and hence increase in their concentration.
Ambient levels of nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) have risen sharply in the last five decades to become a ubiquitous, continuous, biologically active environmental pollutant, even in rural and remote areas. Many species of flora and fauna, because of unique physiologies and habitats, are sensitive to exogenous EMF in ways that surpass human reactivity. This can lead to complex endogenous reactions that are highly variable, largely unseen, and a possible contributing factor in species extinctions, sometimes localized. Non-human magnetoreception mechanisms are explored. Numerous studies across all frequencies and taxa indicate that current low-level anthropogenic EMF can have myriad adverse and synergistic effects, including on orientation and migration, food finding, reproduction, mating, nest and den building, territorial maintenance and defense, and on vitality, longevity and survivorship itself. Effects have been observed in mammals such as bats, cervids, cetaceans, and pinnipeds among others, and on birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles, microbes and many species of flora. Cyto- and geno-toxic effects have long been observed in laboratory research on animal models that can be extrapolated to wildlife. Unusual multi-system mechanisms can come into play with non-human species — including in aquatic environments — that rely on the Earth’s natural geomagnetic fields for critical life-sustaining information. Part 2 of this 3-part series includes four online supplement tables of effects seen in animals from both ELF and RFR at vanishingly low intensities. Taken as a whole, this indicates enough information to raise concerns about ambient exposures to nonionizing radiation at ecosystem levels. Wildlife loss is often unseen and undocumented until tipping points are reached. It is time to recognize ambient EMF as a novel form of pollution and develop rules at regulatory agencies that designate air as ‘habitat’ so EMF can be regulated like other pollutants. Long-term chronic low-level EMF exposure standards, which do not now exist, should be set accordingly for wildlife, and environmental laws should be strictly enforced — a subject explored in Part 3.
Bežični prijenos informacija, koristeći radiofrekvencijsko elektromagnetsko zračenje (RF-EMZ), danas ima nesagledive mogućnosti. S druge strane, osim mnogobrojnih korisnih primjena, bežična tehnologija pobuđuje zabrinutost šire javnosti o štetnim učincima na zdravlje ljudi i životinja. Unatoč mnogobrojnim provedenim znanstvenim istraživanjima, do danas nije postignut jedinstven stav u pogledu štetnosti RF-EMZ-a na živa bića. Štoviše, veliki broj objavljenih rezultata istraživanja čak je i kontroverzan. Kada govorimo o biološkim učincima RFEMZ- a na životinje, moramo istaknuti da su istraživanja provedena na velikom broju životinjskih vrsta od beskralježnjaka do sisavaca. Nakon postavljene sumnje da RFEMZ može biti jedan od mogućih uzroka poremećaja gubitka pčelinjih zajednica, provedena su brojna istraživanja na medonosnoj pčeli (Apis mellifera). U ovome su radu sažeto objašnjeni osnovni pojmovi iz područja RF-EMZ te učinci toga zračenja na ljude i životinje, a s posebnim osvrtom na zajednice medonosne pčele.
All electrical and electronic devices radiate electromagnetic waves. These EM waves are categorized into two groups, Ionizing, and non-Ionizing. In this manuscript, health effects due to radiation are studied. UG and PG students are worked in physics, electrical and electronics labs. Magnetic and electric fields are generated around us, when electromagnetic waves penetrate inside the body of students it may affect the organs. The radiation which is produced by apparatus is low frequency and exposure of these types of radiation may because of childhood leukemia, headache, stress, etc. Certain tissues/cells of the body absorb the energy-specific absorption rate (SAR). After the permissible limit of SAR, the radiation becomes harmful. It is concluded that some types of radiation may become harmful to the health of body tissues/cells.
The influence of high‐tension lines on honey bee colonies ( Apis mellifica L.) . Nectar and pollen rich plants are very often found in forest clearings through which high‐tension cables run. Therefore hives of honey bees have been placed under high‐tension lines to see how the colonies react. Control groups were placed in the same biotope, 60–800 m away from the test groups.
In the summers of 1964 and 1969 two experiments lasting 85 and 48 days respectively were carried out near Freiburg i. Br. Each year environmental conditions and the condition of the bees were different. The activity and the irritability of the bees in the area of the high‐tension lines were significantly higher. In good weather and in pollen and nectar rich places the electrically induced hyper‐activity usually obtained positive results (1964): The test bees under 110 000 volt lines collected twice as much nectar as the control bees but suffered a loss of gross weight. In the cool and rainy summer of 1969 bees under 220 000 volt lines manifested an abnormally increased irritability and a pathologically strong inclination to swarm. This was evidenced in a remarkably long four weeks period of “queen cell” building, and can be interpreted as a migratory reaction (Ortswechselreaktion).
Though not proven, it is highly probable that the concentration of the negative ions in the air, the strength of the electromagnetic field, and the weather explain the differences in the behaviour between the bees of the test and the control colonies. It is therefore proposed that bees which are often transferred from one feeding area to another not be placed under high‐tension wires, but rather at a distance of 50–100 m from the intense electrical field.
Zusammenfassung
Durch größere Waldungen führende Hochspannungsschneisen sind meist reich an Nektar und Pollen spendenden Pflanzen. Es wurde deshalb geprüft, wie Honigbienen reagieren, wenn man ihre Stöcke unter Fernleitungen aufstellt. 60–800 m abseits im gleichen Biotop stehende Völker dienten als Vergleich. Zwei 85 bzw. 48 Tage dauernde Versuche wurden im Sommer 1964 und 1969 nahe Freiburg i. Br. durchgeführt. In beiden Jahren waren die Umweltbedingungen und der Zustand der Versuchsvölker verschieden, Aktivität und Reizbarkeit der auf den Schneisen stehenden Völker signifikant erhöht. Diese durch Elektrizität stimulierte Motorik hat sich bei gutem Wetter und reichem Trachtangebot überwiegend positiv ausgewirkt (1964): Die Kontrollvölker sammelten doppelt soviel Honig wie die abseits der 110 OOC‐Volt‐Leitung stehenden Bienen, hatten jedoch gegenüber diesen Substanzverluste. In dem kühlen und regenreichen Sommer 1969 zeigten die Bienen unter der 220 000‐Volt‐Leitung eine ungewöhnliche Reizbarkeit und einen pathologisch überhöhten Schwarmtrieb, der sich in vier Wochen andauerndem Ansetzen von Weiselzellen äußerte und in diesem Fall als Ortswechselreaktion gedeutet werden kann.
Es ist hochwahrscheinlich, jedoch nicht durch Messungen belegt, daß die Anreicherung der Luft mit negativen Ionen und die Stärke des elektromagnetischen Feldes neben dem Wetter die erwiesenen Unterschiede im Verhalten der Kontroll‐ und Vergleichsvölker erklären. Es wird empfohlen, die Wanderbienen nicht unter Hochspannungsleitungen, sondern 50–100 m von diesen entfernt aufzustellen.
Honeybee colonies exposed under a 765-kV, 60-Hz transmission line at 7 kV/m show the following sequence of effects: 1) increased motor activity with transient increase in hive temperature; 2) abnormal propolization; 3) impaired hive weight gain; 4) queen loss and abnormal production of queen cells; 5) decreased sealed brood; and 6) poor winter survival. When colonies were exposed at 5 different E fields (7, 5.5, 4.1, 1.8, and 0.65–0.85 kV/m) at incremental distances from the line, different thresholds for biologic effects were obtained. Hive net weights showed significant dose-related lags at the following exposures: 7 kV/m, one week; 5.5 kV/m, 2 weeks; and 4.1 kV/m, 11 weeks. The two lowest exposure groups had normal weight after 25 weeks. Abnormal propolization of hive entrances did not occur below 4.1 kV/m. Queen loss occurred in 6 of 7 colonies at 7 kV/m and 1 of 7 at 5.5 kV/m, but not below. Foraging rates were significantly lower only at 7 and 5.5 kV/m. Hive weight impairment and abnormal propolization occur at lower E-field intensity than other effects and limit the “biological effects corridor” of the transmission line to approximately 23 m beyond a ground line projection of each outer phase wire. Intrahive E fields of 15–100 kV/m were measured with a displacement current sensor. Step-potential-induced currents up to 0.5 μA were measured in an electrically equivalent bee model placed on the honeycomb in a hive exposed at 7 kV/m. At 1.8 kV/m body currents were a few nanoamperes, or two orders of magnitude lower, and these colonies showed no effects. E-field versus electric shock mechanisms are discussed.
Production of mutant drones by treat-ment of honeybee with X-rays
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The influence of high tension lines on honeybee colonies
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Radiation is killing the bees despite the cellphone industry’s disinformation campaign, buergerwelle.de/pdf/radiation_is_killing_the_bees
- G L Carlo
Carlo, G. L., Radiation is killing the bees despite the cellphone industry’s disinformation campaign, buergerwelle.de/pdf/radiation_is_killing_the_bees.htm (accessed on 3 August 2009).
Brood rearing activity of Apis indica F. and egg laying capacity of its queen
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Sharma, P. L., Brood rearing activity of Apis indica F. and egg laying capacity of its queen. Indian Bee J., 1958, 20, 166–173.