On June 11, 2025 biologists in the academic

journal Agriculture published scientific findings of significant behavioral effects in honey bees following exposure to radiofrequency radiation in the 900 MHz range, one of the most commonly used frequencies for cellular communication and infrastructure across the globe.

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Migdal et al. found significant behavioral effects in honey bees seven days after exposure to this common cellular frequency, as well as less immediate dramatic effects within one hour of exposure.

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The researchers housed worker bees in wooden cages right after they emerged, and divided the bees into experimental groups, exposed to RF fields, and a control group not exposed to RF fields. The experimental group bees were exposed to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields of different intensities (intensities at 12 V/m, 28 V/m, and 61 V/m) and different durations of exposure (15 minutes, 1 hour and 3 hours), for a total of 9 experimental groups. The behavior of the bees was analyzed at two time points: immediately after exposure and seven days after exposure. Observed behaviors included flying, social interactions, walking, and self-grooming.

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"Significant effects were observed seven days after exposure

in walking, flight, and individual contact."​​​​

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What does this mean about our own use of modern wireless devices? This is science on the possible contribution of wireless emissions to the recent struggles of the honey bee. It is hard to contemplate - but I would argue that it really shouldn't be a big surprise.

 

Biologists and entomologists have been sounding the alarm for years, even decades, about evidence that radiofrequency emissions from modern wireless and cellular technologies may be an emerging environmental pollutant impacting honey bee behaviors and in fact the behaviors of many pollinators and other insects.  

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Last year Thill et al. (2024) reviewed 185 papers on the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on bees and other insects and 145 studies on insect magnetic sensing, and reported disturbing trends for both high frequency and low frequency EMFs. The findings of effects of exposure to high frequency (HF) EMFs, across 238 experiments, including decreased reproductive capacity, altered behavior, oxidative stress, DNA damage and impaired development. For low frequency (LF) EMFs (133 experiments), findings included behavioral effects, metabolic effects, and reproductive effects.

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In 2023, Molina-Montenegro et al. found that honey bee pollination behaviors were significantly disturbed in the field in the presence of man-made radiofrequencey electromagnetic fields: "The presence of EMF under field conditions significantly impaired honeybees’ pollination services to plants following a putative molecular mechanism associated with behavioral and physiological stress... The organismal-level impacts translated into a lower number of floral visits that reduced seed production, which, in turn, lowered diversity and plant abundance."

 

In 2021 a review by A. Balmori described evidence of damage to pollinators caused by man-made electromagnetic radiation and suggested that this radiation should be considered seriously as a complementary driver for pollinator decline, acting in synergy with climate change, pesticides, agricultural intensification and invasive species.

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In 2024 Migdał et al. assessed the nutrition levels in honey bees exposed to radiofrequency radiation and found that exposed bees showed signs of cellular starvation, even at exposure levels below current safety standards for humans. "Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields disturb honey bee nutrition. The changes may have long-term effects."

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In 2021, Lupi et al. found that bees with exposure to both pesticides and electromagnetic fields were at increased risk of negative effects. ​

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But we need not limit ourselves to the past three or four years to find concerning scientific research on honey bees and man-made wireless radiation.

 

In 2010 Sharma and Kumar studied the effects of cell phone emissions on honey bee behavior by literally placing cell phones outside of two hives while leaving two other hives unexposed without cell phones. After simply turning on the cell phones for 15 minutes, twice a day between February and April, they observed the beginnings of colony decline, including significant drops in the queen's egg laying rates, and declines in the number of incoming foragers. Worker bees were observed having trouble returning to their hives, and large losses in worker bee numbers followed. After three months of the experiment, the exposed colonies had no honey or pollen reserves due to these behavioral changes. "There was neither honey nor pollen in the colony at the end of the experiment." 

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In 2011, Favre et al. placed cell phones near five honeybee hives and took more than 80 sound recordings over five months with the phones sometimes off and sometimes on. They observed that when the cell phone was off the bees remained undisturbed, but when the cell phone was turned on, the bees began making sounds more frequently and intensely within 25 to 40 minutes of turning the phone on, resulting in the "worker piping signal" normally produced by bees as a signal of danger. The piping behaviors stopped once the phone was turned off, with a consistent and repeatable effect.​​​

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In 2010, Grölle et al. exposed honeybees to Dect cordless phones, and found that that exposed bees were less able to return to their hives within ordinary time frames.

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In 2011, Kumar et al found that cell phone radiation influenced honey bees’ behavior and physiology.

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In 2011, S. Pattazhy published a case study on the impact of electromagnetic radiation on the density of honey bees. 

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In 2006, Harst et al. found decreased rates of egg laying and reducing colony strength after exposure to man-made radiofrequency fields. 

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In 2018, Sundar examined the relationship between Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in honey bees and EMF radiation exposure.