古谷, 多佳子

Huruya, Takako

Honeybees

磁場曝露

Magnetic Fields

活動性変化

Behavioral Activity

寿命

Life Span

A number of electromagnetic devices have increased and have added intense magnetic fields and extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (alternating magnetic fields) to the electronic pollution in our atmosphere. They may have potent damaging effects on living organisms, but the evidence remains inconclusive. Honeybees are known to have magnetoreceptors and use them for magnetic compass orientation. So, we investigated whether the bees avoid strong magnetic fields which may be harmful to them and whether continuous exposure to magnetic fields affects to bees'behavior. As a result, no systematic tendency of bee's preferences was shown and the exposure did not effect on preference. But, the continuous exposure to the intense magnetic fields shortened worker bees' lives and depressed bees' behavioral activity. Present study suggests that the chronic exposure to intense magnetic fields may have toxic influences on bee life.