Exposure to an additional alternating magnetic field affects comb building by worker hornets.
Ishay JS, Plotkin M, Volynchik S, Shaked M, Schuss Z, Bergman DJ. · 2007
View Original AbstractWeak power-frequency magnetic fields disrupted hornet construction behavior by up to 55%, showing biological sensitivity at everyday exposure levels.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed worker hornets to weak 50 Hz magnetic fields (similar to power line frequency) for two weeks and found dramatic disruptions in their natural building behavior. The exposed hornets built 35-55% fewer cells, created deformed hexagonal structures, and produced more fragile comb stems compared to unexposed hornets. This demonstrates that even very low-level magnetic field exposure can interfere with complex biological processes that insects rely on for survival.
Why This Matters
This study reveals something profound about how magnetic fields affect living systems. The hornets were exposed to just 50-70 milligauss of 50 Hz magnetic fields - levels you might encounter near some household appliances or power lines. Yet this relatively modest exposure completely disrupted their sophisticated construction abilities, which are critical for colony survival. What makes this particularly significant is that insects navigate and build using incredibly precise biological mechanisms that have evolved over millions of years. The fact that artificial magnetic fields can interfere with these finely tuned systems suggests our modern electromagnetic environment may be disrupting biological processes in ways we're only beginning to understand. While we can't directly extrapolate from hornets to humans, this research adds to the growing body of evidence showing that living organisms are far more sensitive to electromagnetic fields than regulatory agencies typically acknowledge.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.005 - 0.007 mG
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 Weeks
Exposure Context
This study used 0.005 - 0.007 mG for magnetic fields:
- 250x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 50x above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
To study the effects of Exposure to an additional alternating magnetic field on comb building by worker hornets.
In an ABB with adult workers (more than 24 h after eclosion), exposed to an AC (50 Hz) magnetic fie...
The effects of the additional magnetic field consist of (a) 35-55% smaller number of cells and fewer...
Show BibTeX
@article{js_2007_exposure_to_an_additional_261,
author = {Ishay JS and Plotkin M and Volynchik S and Shaked M and Schuss Z and Bergman DJ.},
title = {Exposure to an additional alternating magnetic field affects comb building by worker hornets.},
year = {2007},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/med/18613641},
}