Magnets, Magnetic Field Fluctuations and Geomagnetic Disturbances impair the homing ability of Honey Bees

by Thomas E. Ferrari MSc,PhD
(Bakersfield, CA,USA)

Thomas E. Ferrari MSc, PhD
Botany & Horticulture,
Pollen Bank, Bakersfield, CA, USA
pollenbank@sbcglobal.net

Summary

The sudden loss and disappearance of honey bees from a hive or apiary has been plaguing beekeepers for more than a century. This age-old disorder predates virtually all herbicides, pesticides, many diseases, pests and honey bee management protocols -- its cause is unknown.

Adult honey bees possess a magnetoreceptive sense similar to other animals, amphibians, insects and microbes. Organisms use it for orientation purposes during migrations and traveling long distances.

To investigate involvement of a magnetoreceptive sense with forager homing abilities, (A) magnets were glued to their body, (B) foragers were exposed to artificially induced fluctuating magnetic fields; and (C) foragers’ return rates were monitored during naturally occurring disturbances to Earth’s magnetosphere. Treated and untreated foragers were released at varying distances from their hives and their return rates were determined.

Significant differences in return rates indicated interactions existed between forager losses and both static and fluctuating magnetic fields.

In addition, when foragers were exposed to natural geomagnetic fluctuations, their homing ability declined. A decrease in forager return rates was also correlated with intensity of extraterrestrial protons that entered Earth’s atmosphere.

Collectively, these observations indicate solar eruptions on the sun are involved with interference of a forager’ magnetoreception sense here on Earth.

How abnormal magnetic fields and fluctuations relate to the epidemiology of Colony Collapse Disorder and its symptoms are consistent with honey bee behavior and development.

For a copy of this entire paper please contact, Thomas Ferrarri @ email= pollenbank@sbcglobal.net