Does anybody have any knowledge of the effects of electromagnetism on bees? A few weeks ago I went to take a swarm and had a choice between doing my usual trick with a wobbly ladder against a wobbly branch while juggling long handled loppers and skep or else doing it the easy way and standing on top of an electricity sub station to take them. Caution prevailed and I used the ladder.  That was the stroppiest swarm I have ever taken. I had about 15 stings and the lady holding the skep for me got a couple too.  I hived them on a farm in darkest west Dorset and they have been as nice as pie ever since.

Last year I set a bait hive in woodland belonging to a big house, hoping to get a swarm from the bees inhabiting their walls. I forgot about it until a few weeks ago (16th May) and found a small swarm within but no brood yet. I checked them again on 6th June and 11th July and on each occasion they were very stroppy, scoring a mere 2 on my temper scale (0 = they saw me off - 5+ = they totally ignored me.). Brood-wise and food-wise, they're doing fine and there is a field full of clover next door. Within a stone's throw of the hive, in the flowery field, is a pylon bearing electricity cables.  Would they be affecting the bees' temper?

Chris

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