The influence of electromagnetic radiation on the body of the honey bee

Abstract

The paper presents data on the influence of electromagnetic radiation on the organism of honey bees. For this, three groups of bee families were formed. Bee families of the control group were kept under the influence of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun. In the 1st experimental group, offspring were exposed to radiation with a frequency of 2580 MHz. For this, we used a GZ-122 microwave generator with an output power of 1×10-12 W. Irradiation was carried out in a chamber isolated from light and shielded from microwave radiation, which was located in a thermally and sound-insulated room shielded from microwave radiation. In experiments with bee brood, the temperature was maintained at 35 °С in shielded TS-80 thermostats. Irradiation was carried out in the following mode: 9 hours of irradiation and 7 hours of pause (without irradiation). This cycle was repeated 3 times in a row. The bee families of the second experimental group were under the influence of the same generator, which irradiated the brood in the following mode: 16 hours of irradiation and 7 hours of pause (without irradiation). This cycle was repeated 3 times in a row. It was established that bees that developed under long-term artificial irradiation acquire the morphophysiological characteristics of bees with fewer reserve nutrients. Long-term radiation exposure negatively affects the storage of nutrients in the form of lipids by 25.69 % (P < 0.05), the reduction of total nitrogen by 16.93 % (P < 0.05). Such a negative trend was revealed against the background of a 14.1 % lower mass (P < 0.01) compared to bees that developed under natural irradiation.