Bees Communicate With Electric Fields 133
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."
Unexplained Collapses??? (Score:5, Interesting)
So, this may suggest that our ever increasing use of EM may be responsible for colony collapse disorders.
Question for Mr Gil Grissom... (Score:4, Interesting)
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Unexplained Collapses??? (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.