>Regulation of the
>brood
>> nest microclimate was disturbed in exposed colonies and viability of embryos,
>larvae
>> and adults was reduced. (Other adverse effects were noted.) Honey production
>was
>> reduced. The effects were eliminated by moving the bees to a site at least 50
>meters
>> from the line, or by placing them under trees, or by covering hive tops with a
>layer of
>> dirt.
>>


This just does not square at all with our experience in the field. The
pylon yard described earlier is actually one of our most productive
locations (which I attribute to quality of forage, nothing to do with
the electricity), not one with reduced production. Everything seems
completely normal, including all the criteria highlighted here and in
other postings.

Lab conditions could possibly demonstrate minor changes, but at a
strictly practical level it seems irrelevant.

You can hear the pylon buzzing all the time, and even crackling in rainy
weather, but still no noticeable effect.

The bees there:-
Winter well
Produce well
Breed well
Build comb normally
Swarm normally
Are not unusually aggressive
Do not drift abnormally (thus navigation is not a problem)

Also, obviously unlike the US and possibly Canada situation, the are no
lanes of unused land under the lines, only the actual footprints of the
pylons themselves. Land under the lines is cultivated normally. Thus
most of the other concerns listed are not relevant to OUR situation,
making these little bits of land prime real estate for beekeepers.

We also place many seasonal yards close to, or even directly under,
power lines, and have one at a substantial substation full of
transformers, boosters etc (within 10 yards of the nearest colonies).
Still no difference.

I am not denying (nor confirming) that a scientist could demonstrate
some changes from the presence of these lines (there also seems to be an
assumption that such an effect would be negative, which is not
necessarily the case). However, *at a practical beekeeping level* there
are far more important things to get right before anyone starts worrying
about power lines, which seem to have either no, or extremely minor,
influence on the bees.


--
Murray McGregor