Electromagnetic effect on vitality and activity of honey bees in el- Beheira Egypt, Egypt

Abstract EN

The present study was initiated to find out the electro-magnetic effect on the vitality and activity of honey bees during May 2019 at Abo-Hommos, El-Beheira Governorate.

For that goal 15 colonies were selected same strength and divided into five groups, each group comprised 3 colonies.

Each of these groups was placed at various distances of a high-pressure electric tower 220KV (100, 300, 400, 500, and 550m).

The results obtained showed an increase in the number of honey bee workers leaving the placed hives at a distance of 100 meters from the high-pressure electric tower, vice versa numbers of bee workers, gradually decreased to reach the normal number in case of ascendingly moved hives away from the high-pressure electric tower (65.3 bees/minute at a distance of 100 meters, 61.36 at 300 meters, 58.5 at 400m, 53.2 at 500m, and 50.33 at 550m) compared to the normal one of 50 bees/minute at 2000m).

In contrast, the counted number of returned honey bee workers to their hives decreased dependingly on the distance apart of the high-pressure electric tower (35.16 bees/minute at a distance of 100m, 37.66 at 300m, 39.66 at 400m, 44.5 at 500m, 51.03 at 550m, compared to the normal rate of 51.3 bees/minute at 2000m).

On the other hand, it was observed that the queens were affected, as they lessened their deposited eggs; expressed by the capped brood area in square inches.

When the hive was nearer to the electrical tower the capped brood area comprised 18.83 square inches/hive at a distance of 100m, 23.03 at 300m, 26.7 at 400m, 26.9 at 500m, and 31 at 550m; compared to the normal rate of 31 square inches/hive at 2000m.

In contrast, the numerical density of the colony was also affected, and expressed by the number of frames covered with bees, and the drastic electromagnetic effect was evident on the distance of located hives near to the high-pressure electric tower (5 frames at a distance of 100 meters, 6 frames at 300 meters, 7 frames at 400 meters, 7.66 frames at 500 meters, 8 frames at 550 meters, compared to the normal average of 8 frames/hive at 2000m).