New Research Shows Honeybee Swarms Can Electrify the Air Up to 1000 Volts per Meter, Sometimes More Than a Thunderstorm.
Research from scientists at the University of Bristol indicates that honeybee swarms generate so much electricity that they can influence local weather.
Honeybee swarms generate as much electric charge in the air as a thunderstorm.
By measuring the electric field around honeybee hives, researchers found that these swarms produce electric charges comparable to those of a thunderstorm. This phenomenon plays a significant role in dust control, shaping unpredictable weather patterns that need to be incorporated into future climate models.
The tiny bodies of these insects acquire a positive charge while foraging, due to the friction of air molecules against their rapidly beating wings. Honeybees typically beat their wings more than 230 times per second, especially when landing on charged surfaces.
However, the effects of this electric charge were previously thought to be minimal. Now, new research results show that these insects can generate a shocking amount of electricity.
Ellard Hunting, a biologist at the University of Bristol and the lead researcher, stated: “We demonstrate that biology and static electric fields are closely interconnected“.
To examine whether honeybees create significant changes in the electric field of the atmosphere, researchers placed an electric field monitor and a camera near the honeybee habitat.
During the 3 minutes that the swarm of insects took to ascend into the air, researchers discovered that the electric field above the hive increased to 100 volts per meter. In some instances, they recorded effects as high as 1,000 volts per meter. The electric charge density of honeybee swarms is six times greater than that of an electrically charged dust storm and over eight times that of a cloud.
Scientists also found that denser “clouds” of insects correspond to a greater electric field. However, it is important to note that insects do not have the ability to generate storms; they can only induce other effects on the weather.
The electric field in the air ionizes dust and pollutant particles, altering their movement in unpredictable ways. Since dust also scatters sunlight, understanding how dust moves and its locations is crucial for grasping the climate of a region.
