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Shepherd S et al, (May 2018) Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields impair the Cognitive and Motor Abilities of Honey Bees, Sci Rep

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Authors not listed · 2018

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Power line EMFs impair honey bee learning and flight abilities, potentially contributing to pollinator decline.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed honey bees to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields at levels found near power lines, ranging from ground-level exposure to close proximity to conductors. The EMF exposure significantly impaired the bees' ability to learn, altered their flight patterns, reduced foraging success, and affected feeding behavior. This suggests power line EMFs may be a major environmental stressor threatening bee populations and their critical pollination services.

Why This Matters

This research reveals a troubling connection between our electrical infrastructure and the decline of pollinators essential to our food system. The science demonstrates that 50 Hz EMFs from power lines don't just exist in the environment - they actively interfere with honey bee cognition and motor function at field-realistic exposure levels. What makes this particularly concerning is that bees encounter these EMF levels during normal foraging flights, meaning widespread exposure is unavoidable in our electrified world. The reality is that power line EMFs represent intensities thousands of times higher than what these insects evolved to handle, and this study shows the biological consequences are measurable and significant. Put simply, our electrical grid may be inadvertently contributing to pollinator decline, with implications that extend far beyond individual bee colonies to agricultural productivity and ecosystem stability.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (2018). Shepherd S et al, (May 2018) Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields impair the Cognitive and Motor Abilities of Honey Bees, Sci Rep.
Show BibTeX
@article{shepherd_s_et_al_may_2018_extremely_low_frequency_electromagnetic_fields_impair_the_cognitive_and_motor_abilities_of_honey_bees_sci_rep_ce1297,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Shepherd S et al, (May 2018) Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields impair the Cognitive and Motor Abilities of Honey Bees, Sci Rep},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-26185-y},
  
}
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26185-yPubMed: 29785039

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, the study found that 50 Hz electromagnetic fields from power lines significantly reduced honey bees' learning capacity. This cognitive impairment could affect their ability to remember flower locations and navigate effectively during foraging flights.
Bees experience harmful EMF effects at ground level below power lines (20-100 µT) and especially within 1 meter of conductors (1000-7000 µT). These are realistic exposure levels bees encounter during normal foraging behavior near electrical infrastructure.
Yes, researchers found that 50 Hz EMF exposure reduced the success of foraging flights toward food sources. This impairment in foraging efficiency could impact both individual bee colonies and their pollination services to crops.
The study demonstrated that 50 Hz EMF exposure altered honey bee flight dynamics, affecting their motor abilities. These changes in flight patterns could interfere with navigation, foraging efficiency, and overall colony survival.
Honey bees may be particularly vulnerable because their foraging flights expose them to relatively high EMF levels near power lines. Their complex cognitive and motor behaviors, essential for pollination services, appear sensitive to electromagnetic interference.