Randy wrote:

>
> Although I do not suspect cell phones as causing CCD, I found the study
> quite interesting, and feel that the author suggested good follow up
> studies.
>

I also doubt the CCD / cell phone link, and in fact keep a yard of bees at
the base of a cell phone tower with no apparent problems.  What I liked
about the study was the references, as I have always been interested in
magnetoreception in bees and there was nice links, and then through Plos-one
other links of interest.

But why bring magnetite particles into the "explanation".  Apparently cell
phone radiation has some effect on people, and we don't have magnetite
particles to my knowledge.

I think that power lines would have much more of a "magnetic" effect than
cell phone radiation.  Perhaps I am wrong, but thinking about the strong
magnetic effect of windings....   Murray MacGregor, has in the past I
believe posted that he has some yards very close to high voltage
transmission lines.  While I do not, I am frequently right next to low
voltage lines, because they are at the side of the road and we usually keep
hives at the edge of a field so as to minimize our disturbance to the
farmer.  I have to take note of the lines because we move with knuckle booms
and I think not only the bees would be pissed if we touched them at night
when we are moving.

De Jong's experiment wrapping wires around swarm boxes to shift the earth's
magnetic field 90 degrees is an extremely elegant example good science.  I
put my compass up to my cell phone during a call and couldn't see the needle
move. I am not criticizing the paper, just wondering about the magnetite.  I
think that how the bees get the signal from the tiny magnetite particles is
still not understood, and that was what I looked for in the papers cited.

Stan

Stan

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