Bees on windfarms ?

[Rockingod]

Speaking to a fellow beefarmer this morning and he reckons that wind turbines are upsetting his bees. He has a small number of boxes on a local wind farm (west Wales) and he reckons that when the wind is blowing and the turbines are turning the bees become seriously agitated to the the point of not being inspectable . When the turbines are not turning they are little darlings and very calm to the point where he can inspect normally.
Anybody else have any experience of this phenomenon?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sounds to me like it may be the windy conditions that are winding the bees up - seldom see wind turbines being placed in sheltered areas.

 

[robmort]

It's a well-known fact that bees hate wind turbines as they're all Trump supporters.

 

[pargyle]

Sounds to me like it may be the windy conditions that are winding the bees up - seldom see wind turbines being placed in sheltered areas.

There will be someone along soon to say that it's the low level inaudible hum from the blades and the magnetic fields generated by the generators ... won't be me though ....

 

[Apple]

I would think that the low level inaudible hum from the turbine blades and the magnetic fields generated by the generators could upset your bees, particularly if the hives are not placed along ley lines

 

[victor meldrew]

I would think that the low level inaudible hum from the turbine blades and the magnetic fields generated by the generators could upset your bees, particularly if the hives are not placed along ley lines

I would think that the low level inaudible hum from the turbine blades and the magnetic fields generated by the generators could upset your bees, particularly if the hives are not placed along ley lines

Energy lines ?.

 

[pargyle]

I would think that the low level inaudible hum from the turbine blades and the magnetic fields generated by the generators could upset your bees, particularly if the hives are not placed along ley lines

See ... I told you that would happen....

 

[Apple]

Well lets say there was a spark of interest in this post, it would be a shame if the bees did not feel at ohm!
Chons da

 

[pargyle]

The current theory is that they have developed a resistance to wind farms and a capacitance to demonstrate impedance with a frequency watt hertz.

 

[Apple]

The current theory is that they have developed a resistance to wind farms and a capacitance to demonstrate impedance with a frequency watt hertz.

I have an AC~DC T shirt !

Maybe its the Power of the turbines Watts the problem?

 

[HughMann]

I have an AC~DC T shirt !

Maybe its the Power of the turbines Watts the problem?

Wind turbines - yes huge metal fans

 

[Apple]

SHOCKING... great blots on the landscape IMOHO !
Mytten da

 

[the shed man]

Speaking to a fellow beefarmer this morning and he reckons that wind turbines are upsetting his bees. He has a small number of boxes on a local wind farm (west Wales) and he reckons that when the wind is blowing and the turbines are turning the bees become seriously agitated to the the point of not being inspectable . When the turbines are not turning they are little darlings and very calm to the point where he can inspect normally.
Anybody else have any experience of this phenomenon?

I can believe that the bees are a bit pissed off in a aprie full of wind generators. As you know in the bees brain there is some thing that can read the magnetic fields and they use it for their navigation. if the wind is not blowing, so no electricity, the bees are calm.
Lots of wind, lots of electricity, pissed off bees.
Once some time ago I had two hives under an electricity pylon and they were not at all happy, I moved them and they were fine.

 

[Beegarden]

This article appeared in a bee magazine which is not to be mentioned!
To quote: ........ Recently though, a rather alarming report from Germany stated that wind turbines might be responsible for the decrease in insect life. It claims that the wind turbines in Germany alone, claim the lives of 1200 tons of insects a year, ie 50kg of insects per turbine. ' This is appalling news.
It continues, ' ......... a paper published by a Dutch-Danish team of scientists ..... They were investigating why it was that when there was an increase in wind speed, the amount of electricity generated fell off sometimes to even half. Close examination of the leading edges of the rotor blades found that these were encrusted with dead insects. The edges were no longer smooth but very rough, deflecting the wind and hence reducing the power generated.'

Maybe it's similar to the reaction of pigs approaching an abattoir! - Just a thought ........

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Once some time ago I had two hives under an electricity pylon and they were not at all happy, I moved them and they were fine.

Strange that, only yesterday Murray McGregor tweeted about one of his best apiaries, I'm with him - all this fuss is the domain of conspiracy theorists and wearers of tinfoil helmets:

 

[pargyle]

Strange that, only yesterday Murray McGregor tweeted about one of his best apiaries, I'm with him - all this fuss is the domain of conspiracy theorists and wearers of tinfoil helmets:


View attachment 22839

I can believe that ... probably sited where several energy lines cross ...

 

[Ian123]

Lol I had 1 site not quite as close but say 15 meters from the pylon. Bees loved it, also had some top bar warriors tell me my bees in poly hives would die due to fumes given off from the poly.

 

[pargyle]

Lol I had 1 site not quite as close but say 15 meters from the pylon. Bees loved it, also had some top bar warriors tell me my bees in poly hives would die due to fumes given off from the poly.

They say from a standpoint of a hive type that does not have good form for colonies overwintering in them in our climate in the UK ...

 

[Apple]

I can believe that ... probably sited where several energy lines cross ...

Probably hydro electric power.. so less nasty than the nuclear generated stuff! ☮

 

[coffindodger]

This article appeared in a bee magazine which is not to be mentioned!
To quote: ........ Recently though, a rather alarming report from Germany stated that wind turbines might be responsible for the decrease in insect life. It claims that the wind turbines in Germany alone, claim the lives of 1200 tons of insects a year, ie 50kg of insects per turbine. ' This is appalling news.
It continues, ' ......... a paper published by a Dutch-Danish team of scientists ..... They were investigating why it was that when there was an increase in wind speed, the amount of electricity generated fell off sometimes to even half. Close examination of the leading edges of the rotor blades found that these were encrusted with dead insects. The edges were no longer smooth but very rough, deflecting the wind and hence reducing the power generated.'

Maybe it's similar to the reaction of pigs approaching an abattoir! - Just a thought ........

The damage problem is well reported, but there is (as usual) much mis-reporting. The number of flying insects in Germany was found to have decreased. The mass assessment was made by using a net on a car so reported on insects close to the ground. The authors of that research found that the reduction was apparent over the whole country and could not pinpoint a cause. The land use / altitude / environment did not seem to make any difference. No link to turbines. The German turbine paper(s) relate to heights of 20-120m and the authors emphasise the importance of swarms of insects (not swarms of bees!). They suggest swarm identification and turbine stopping measures to protect the blades. The correlation between the mass of insects at blade level and the mass of insects at near ground level is misleading.