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Bees Communicate With Electric Fields

Posted by samzenpus on from the buzz-of-buzzing dept.

sciencehabit writes "The electric fields that build up on honey bees as they fly, flutter their wings, or rub body parts together may allow the insects to talk to each other, a new study suggests. Tests show that the electric fields, which can be quite strong, deflect the bees' antennae, which, in turn, provide signals to the brain through specialized organs at their bases. Antenna deflections induced by an electrically charged honey bee wing are about 10 times the size of those that would be caused by airflow from the wing fluttering at the same distance—a sign that electrical fields could be an important signal."

10 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. Unexplained Collapses??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    So, this may suggest that our ever increasing use of EM may be responsible for colony collapse disorders.

    1. Re:Unexplained Collapses??? by Darinbob · · Score: 5, Informative

      Unexplained? We've had several stories about bees and pesticides, including just today: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21958547.
      It's only unexplained if you think there's something more sinister at work than common poison.

    2. Re:Unexplained Collapses??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Actually, the mass extinction of bees lately has been traced back to a Bayer pesticide. One of the most used ones. I saw a press release or something where Bayer themselves admitted to it in a convoluted way.

      Strangely, a few days later, it couldn't be found anymore, and a "article" on Snopes popped up, calling it "fake", based on bullshit references that were horribly bad and didn't state anything, and vague unsubstantiated claims.

      I'm sorry. I have seen Bayer admitting it. On their own site. And no statement about being "hacked" of something ever left Bayer after that. Which they could easily have done.

      This, among other things that I myself *actually* checked and found to be not correct, is why I don't trust Snopes anymore. Apparently they fabricate whatever they want, if you pay them enough money.

    3. Re:Unexplained Collapses??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Apparently they fabricate whatever they want, if you pay them enough money.

      I wonder if that's true. I should go look it up on Snopes...

    4. Re:Unexplained Collapses??? by Warma · · Score: 4, Informative

      Everything suggests that EM hypersensitivity does not exist. Not one person suffering from it has been able to prove that he could, directly or indirectly, sense an electric or magnetic field of any magnitude.

      If you have the supernatural ability you state to possess, please demonstrate it for science. This will benefit society greatly.

  2. Question for Mr Gil Grissom... by rmdingler · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wonder if this can be linked in any way to the dramatic drop in honeybee populations? Does the population drop-off begin near the implementation of any new wireless technology? Correlation may not lead to causation, but it has been known to lead to wild speculation.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

  3. True Bee fact by SternisheFan · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Over it's lifetime the average bee will produce only 1/10 of a teaspoon of honey.

    The more you know...

  4. Waggle dance by Spottywot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It occurred to me initially, that if the effect is only really noticeable after flight then the only information that they could usefully communicate by this method would be how recently they had completed a flight. It then occurred to me that bees perform a waggle dance which is believed to instruct other bees in the hive where to find food sources. The electrostatic effect on the antenna would be most effective at this time, and also seems to solve one of my issues with the waggle dance theory, which is that it seems most effective as a visual form of communication when viewed from above, which of course the bees do not do.The electrostatic explanation would work, as the dance could manipulate the antennea in the manner of an operator inputting directions using a joystick.

    --
    In a cybernetic fit of rage she pissed off to another age...
  5. Re:I am shocked by msauve · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Bees Communicate With Electric Fields"

    So, what do the electric fields have to say? Should we be welcoming our electric field overlords?

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  6. Note to OP: by rmdingler · · Score: 3, Funny

    The likelihood of anyone noticing you quoted something in the article is on the order of plucking a single hair from a mosquito's back wearing boxing gloves.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway