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Subtle Agroecologies
massive electromagnetic wave pollution that also mainly affected developed countries as a result of
the spread of mobile phones. Fabre noted that the electromagnetic waves of a cell phone in activity
near a hive disturbed the activity of bees. In particular, the worker bees responded to the frequencies
emitted by the cellular phone placed under the hive, producing a typical hum (‘piping’) normally
associated with the intrusion of strangers in the hive or with swarming (the abandonment of the hive
to found a new colony), while under the control conditions, this hum (in Fabre’s experimental sessions) was completely absent. According to Fabre, the bees’ sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation
could be explained by the presence of magnetite crystals in the animal’s body fat (Sgorbissa, 2011).
Back in 1978, Gould et al. have shown how the abdomen of adult bees contained very fne granules
of a kind of ‘magnetic memory’ that could produce sensitivity to magnetic felds. Subsequent investigations showed that this magnetite iron was derived mostly from pollen, with higher levels found
in the trophocytes or fat storage cells of foragers, up to levels of about 2.2 μg Fe/mg (Kuterbach,
1985). Scholars have since found that honey bees undergo iron biomineralisation, providing the
basis for such a magneto-receptor located in the abdomen. This magneto-reception of honeybees
has also been proposed on the basis of much behavioural evidence: the behavioural changes in comb
building, the strength of the hive, the weight and quantity of bees, and the homing orientation when
an extra magnetic feld is added (Lambinet et al., 2017).
Therefore, there is clear evidence that electromagnetic frequencies are damaging to the health
and behaviour of the bee, and, along with chemical pollution, there is little that the individual beekeeper can do except refrain from siting his/her beehives near a mobile phone mast or industrial
farmscapes.
BEE-FRIENDLY BEEKEEPING
We know that environment and nutrition are key determinants of animal welfare and that animal
health is ensured by a correct relationship between metabolism and internal homeostasis through
the polarity of the transformation and maintenance – given by the constant relationship over time –
of the pH of gastric juice to the pH of blood at optimal values. Crucially, bees must eat nectar, pollen and honey, and not sugar and syrup.
Regarding hive conditions, ApiSophia, inspired by Kozak and Curries’ study on the effects of
temperature and ventilation on Varroa (2011), has been conducting feld surveys aimed at identifying more suitable housing solutions that would facilitate – rather than counteract – the bees’ metabolic processes, and checking whether, in certain beehives, optimal environmental conditions could
be found that are unconducive to Varroa infestation. Monitoring has confrmed substantial and very
interesting differences in temperature as well as carbon dioxide concentration, between hives with
a closed wooden bottom (which were used before the 1980s and prior to the advent of the Varroa
mite) and those with a net bottom and tray below. In addition, hives with a closed bottom show to
allow bees to ensure the cleanliness of the hive. Sun hives 2 have also been examined and are showing excellent performance, their ovoid structure allowing for the movement of gases. Particularly
detrimental however is the use of sheet metal rooves, because these can produce too much heat. This
research is ongoing and will, when fnalised, be available on the ApiSophia website.
It is essential for the life of the colony that the combs are made of ‘pure’ beeswax. In nature, bees
are perfectly capable of building honeycombs without the beekeeper’s intervention, but to facilitate
their work (and reduce honey consumption by the bees), waxy sheets are used. Extreme care must
be taken with the wax used for the preparation of the waxy sheets, as the wax, being a fatty substance, absorbs and retains fat-soluble pollutants including most pesticides. Moreover, owing to its
2 The Sun Hive is an alternative beehive made of straw and designed by Günther Mancke (German beekeeper and sculptor;
1925–2020) to mimic the form of wild beehives.
Subtle Agroecologies
massive electromagnetic wave pollution that also mainly affected developed countries as a result of
the spread of mobile phones. Fabre noted that the electromagnetic waves of a cell phone in activity
near a hive disturbed the activity of bees. In particular, the worker bees responded to the frequencies
emitted by the cellular phone placed under the hive, producing a typical hum (‘piping’) normally
associated with the intrusion of strangers in the hive or with swarming (the abandonment of the hive
to found a new colony), while under the control conditions, this hum (in Fabre’s experimental sessions) was completely absent. According to Fabre, the bees’ sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation
could be explained by the presence of magnetite crystals in the animal’s body fat (Sgorbissa, 2011).
Back in 1978, Gould et al. have shown how the abdomen of adult bees contained very fne granules
of a kind of ‘magnetic memory’ that could produce sensitivity to magnetic felds. Subsequent investigations showed that this magnetite iron was derived mostly from pollen, with higher levels found
in the trophocytes or fat storage cells of foragers, up to levels of about 2.2 μg Fe/mg (Kuterbach,
1985). Scholars have since found that honey bees undergo iron biomineralisation, providing the
basis for such a magneto-receptor located in the abdomen. This magneto-reception of honeybees
has also been proposed on the basis of much behavioural evidence: the behavioural changes in comb
building, the strength of the hive, the weight and quantity of bees, and the homing orientation when
an extra magnetic feld is added (Lambinet et al., 2017).
Therefore, there is clear evidence that electromagnetic frequencies are damaging to the health
and behaviour of the bee, and, along with chemical pollution, there is little that the individual beekeeper can do except refrain from siting his/her beehives near a mobile phone mast or industrial
farmscapes.
BEE-FRIENDLY BEEKEEPING
We know that environment and nutrition are key determinants of animal welfare and that animal
health is ensured by a correct relationship between metabolism and internal homeostasis through
the polarity of the transformation and maintenance – given by the constant relationship over time –
of the pH of gastric juice to the pH of blood at optimal values. Crucially, bees must eat nectar, pollen and honey, and not sugar and syrup.
Regarding hive conditions, ApiSophia, inspired by Kozak and Curries’ study on the effects of
temperature and ventilation on Varroa (2011), has been conducting feld surveys aimed at identifying more suitable housing solutions that would facilitate – rather than counteract – the bees’ metabolic processes, and checking whether, in certain beehives, optimal environmental conditions could
be found that are unconducive to Varroa infestation. Monitoring has confrmed substantial and very
interesting differences in temperature as well as carbon dioxide concentration, between hives with
a closed wooden bottom (which were used before the 1980s and prior to the advent of the Varroa
mite) and those with a net bottom and tray below. In addition, hives with a closed bottom show to
allow bees to ensure the cleanliness of the hive. Sun hives 2 have also been examined and are showing excellent performance, their ovoid structure allowing for the movement of gases. Particularly
detrimental however is the use of sheet metal rooves, because these can produce too much heat. This
research is ongoing and will, when fnalised, be available on the ApiSophia website.
It is essential for the life of the colony that the combs are made of ‘pure’ beeswax. In nature, bees
are perfectly capable of building honeycombs without the beekeeper’s intervention, but to facilitate
their work (and reduce honey consumption by the bees), waxy sheets are used. Extreme care must
be taken with the wax used for the preparation of the waxy sheets, as the wax, being a fatty substance, absorbs and retains fat-soluble pollutants including most pesticides. Moreover, owing to its
2 The Sun Hive is an alternative beehive made of straw and designed by Günther Mancke (German beekeeper and sculptor;
1925–2020) to mimic the form of wild beehives.