This is a very controversial subject.  Scientists have shown that wild bees
build comb parallel to the magnetic resonance of the earth; and that a
beekeeper can
badly alter the von Frisch waggle dance of direction to a nectar source
simply by
placing a magnet on one side of a hive.

An English man, Pickard, wrote several articles about magnetism and electric
fields about 20-25 years ago.  In his articles, he stated that it was
possible for high voltage electric wires to create a magnetic field near a
bee colony to induce them
to swarm, and also to become very aggressive.

In past years, I have placed migratory colonies on a high voltage land
right-a-way
right under the wires carrying 33,000 volts and I have not noticed any unusual
effects compared to my other colonies that were not near wires.

I have heard many stories about bees near high voltage wires for many years
and these were told by some decent beekeepers (but not scientists), so I have
never had
much concern about it.  I am a retired scientist and I have never noted any
problems, but I confess, I have never made a scientific study to see if there
was truly a problem.

The fact is:  High voltage lines under some set of circumstances may create
enough
magnetic field to change the natural behavior of a nearby colony of bees,
whereas
some other group of high voltage wires might not have any effect on a colony
of bees.  Like so many other things, bee research has had so many major
problems
with disease, mites, and now small hive beetles, there just is not time and
particularly MONEY to investigate all these other things.

If you can, why not experiment yourself next spring.  Start up 4 new
colonies, and place 2 under the high voltage wires and the other 2 colonies
several hundred yards away, and determine the differences yourself and REPORT
what you find.

I hope that I have helped.

George Imirie, EAS Certified Master Beekeeper
Beginning my 69th season with bees