Hi Ann
Here's some stuff you don't want to hear...
My experience in physics, electronic design and beekeeping seem to overlap here
so I guess I ought to say something, even though I don't feel like an expert on
this aspect.
First, there's been a lot of debate over whether mobile phones are bad for
humans. I've not followed it closely over the years, but I've kept a vague eye
on it and the following Guardian article seems a pretty good summary - for
humans:
www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/21/mobile-phones-are-not-a-health-hazard
it concludes they are not a problem for humans.
Now, I've seen claims that mobile phone radiation is bad for bees and initially
I dismissed these because the wavelengths of the radiation are many times
larger than a bee. Generally speaking, radiation can't interact with stuff
smaller than its wavelength. However Gareth pointed out that frames contain
wire (to reinforce foundation) and this is about the right size to pick up such
signals. But, I'm sure you use foundationless hives Ann, so that's not an issue
here.
The only other way I could initially see for bees to interact with mobile phone
radiation was that a cluster of bees more or less matches the wavelengths
involved. But that doesn't seem like a credible mechanism to me. I mean... I
have seen LEDs randomly light up from the energy a mobile phone pumped into
them, a macroscopic effect, but that's because the RF was rectified to DC by
semiconductor junctions (like a crystal radio set). (I'm assuming I'm not
getting too technical here 'cos you are a physicist, Ann.) I don't know of any
biological rectifiers in organisms.
Also the signal strengths are really weak. People don't have an intuitive grasp
of this. If you are within a foot or so of a mobile phone - or a mobile phone
mast - you are in the "near field" zone and field strengths go vast and
nonlinear. But a few feet away and they drop at inverse square rates with
distance. Which is a very rapid decay with distance. You know phones have to
amplify the received signals a lot to get a signal? The signal strength a few
metres from the mast is really low. I hope to meet a friend tomorrow who works
in mobile phones, I'll ask him for more detail.
I would be much more prepared to believe bees were affected by electricity
pylons because they carry huge voltages and currents, and at just 50Hz a fast
reacting insect like a bee might be able to feel those effects on their fur.
Heck, I can see 50Hz flicker out the corners of my eyes. But weak, GHz mobile
phone signals? Imperceptible.
I've only seem one paper on bees and mobile phone masts. It struck me as a weak
analysis with general rules drawn from too few hive examples. I think they said
the bees' navigation skills were impaired at one distance but seemed enhanced
at another. That smacks of random variation, not statistical certainty.
Now, as to this awkward neighbour. Why not suggest to your apiary landlord that
he talks to the mobile phone company and offer them a place on his land of his
choice for just £6k a year? If his land is higher it would be easier (cheaper)
to build. Also could it look like a tree, like some do? Without talking to the
phone company you don't know what the options are. Can you get a field strength
estimate from them? Can they design the ariel to ensure it does not radiate in
the direction of the hives? (That last is a serious question, but let me check
with Pete tomorrow).
Paul
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On 25 July 2018 3:09 PM, Ann Welch <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi All,
Does anyone know of anything specific regarding the effect that High
frequency EMR emissions from Mobile Phone repeater masts has on bees ? I’ve
done a little looking around so far and found an article that says it has
been linked with colony collapse disorder and immune system dysfunction.
Also it can apparently screw up their navigation ability and stop them
foraging.
I ask because all our heads together are better than one..... AND the farmer
who lives next door to the land where my out hives are situated is trying to
get permission to site a 22.5 M high mobile phone mast. From all accounts
the telecom company don’t really seem to care where they site it as the
government are shouting in their ear to improve rural communication. Also
this man is not a very nice chap and is extremely awkward to his neighbours.
He wants to site this mast on his land (to pocket the rent) BUT as far away
from his property as possible which means it’s just over the fence from my
bees. Not only that but the site is directly next to nature reserve AND a
site of special scientific interest, AND in the middle of some very ancient
woodland that includes some lovely very old oak trees that are home to a good
population of wild honey bee colonies. It seems a bonkers place to site it
but he doesn’t care about that, he just want’s the £7,000 rent pa !!!
Any info or leads to good articles / research papers that I could submit to
AVDC planning department to support my objection would be wonderful and very
much appreciated.
Thanks again
Ann
