Changes in Honeybee Behavior Parameters under the Influence of the E-Field at 50 Hz and Variable Intensity

• Main Authors: Paweł Migdał, Agnieszka Murawska, Paweł Bieńkowski, Ewelina Berbeć, Adam Roman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
• Series: Animals
• Subjects: E-field; honeybee; worker bee behavior
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/247

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.