Andreas
 
> I'M A COMMERCIAL QUEEN REARER FROM CHILE, ALTHOUGH I'M SWISS. I REAR
> QUEENS SOUTH FROM SANTIAGO BESIDE THE CORDILLERA.
> NOW AN ELECTRICITY COMPANY BUILTS AN HIGH TENSION LINE (500 MV) NEAR
> MY FECUNDATION NUCS AND HIVES. MY QUESTION IS IF THE BEES WILL BE
> HARMED OR AT LEAST DISTURBED WITH THE ELECTROMAGNETICAL FIELD THAT WILL
> SURROUND THE LINE.
> ARE THERE ANY STUDIES OR ANTECEDENT ABOUT THIS MATTER ? (THE NEAREST
> APIARY IS ABOUT 100 METERS FROM THE LINE).
> FINAL, I HOPE MY QUEENS ARE BETTER THEN MY ENGLISH !!
>
 
I know of about 8 or 10 studies that have looked at the effect of the
electromagnetism from power lines on honeybee colonies. Most of these
studies were Russian or German, although I think there have been two
in the USA.
 
The general conclusions were as follows - bees near powerlines had:
 - large increase in adult mortality
 - less honey produced
 - more diseases
 - disrupted foraging
 - more swarming
 - and sometimes less brood production
 
All these stem from the magnetic field interfering with the honeybee
navigation and perhaps communication - and there is one paper that
suggest that the magnetic field results in actual protein changes in
the bees.
 
Seems that powerlines are not good for bees, and a Russian paper
recommends 35m as a minimum distance between bees and powerlines.
 
regards
 
Mike Allsopp
Stellenbosch, South Africa
 
 
 
Mike Allsopp                            tel    (27)(21) 887-4690
Honeybee Research Section               fax    (27)(21) 883-3285
Plant Protection Research Institute     pmail  plant3/vredma
Agricultural Research Council           email  [log in to unmask]
P/Bag X5017
Stellenbosch 7599
South Africa