The Influence of an Electromagnetic Field at a Radiofrequency of 900 MHz on the Behavior of a Honey Bee

Paweł Migdał, Mateusz Plotnik, Paweł Bieńkowski, Ewelina Berbeć, Krzysztof Latarowski, Natalia Białecka and Agnieszka Murawska ()
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Paweł Migdał: Department of Bees Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
Mateusz Plotnik: Department of Bees Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
Paweł Bieńkowski: Telecommunications and Teleinformatics Department, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Ewelina Berbeć: Department of Bees Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
Krzysztof Latarowski: Department of Bees Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
Natalia Białecka: Department of Bees Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
Agnieszka Murawska: Department of Bees Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-11

Abstract: The development of wireless technology and the desire to improve communication electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of various frequencies have become common across the honey bee’s foraging landscape. There has been discussion for many years about the possible impact of electromagnetic fields on living organisms. Artificial radio fields emit frequencies ranging from 100 kHz to 300 GHz. The presented research aimed to demonstrate the influence of the radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) with a frequency of 900 MHz on the behavior of honey bees in laboratory conditions. For this experiment, we used wooden cages to house honey bee workers immediately after they emerged. Bee workers were divided into control and experimental groups. Bees in the control group were not exposed to RF fields, while the experimental groups were exposed to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields of different intensities and durations of exposure. Bees’ behavior was analyzed with an appropriate computer program. Behavioral analysis of bees was performed immediately after exposure and seven days after exposure. Our research has shown that the radio field (900 MHz) affects the behavior of bees compared to the control group, although not all results are statistically significant. Significant effects were observed seven days after exposure in walking, flight, and individual contact. However, it is worth extending the study to include the impact of an RF-EMF on the expression of genes responsible for bee behavior.

Keywords: behavior; honey bee; RF-EMF; 900 MHz (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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