Wireless Frequency Protection

In recent years, discussions have emerged about the possible effects of long-term exposure to certain environmental factors, including wireless communication infrastructure, on honey bee health. As bees play a vital role in pollination and ecosystem balance, responsible hive management requires careful consideration of their environment.

MNZ follows a precautionary approach in its hive placement strategy. Our beehives are deliberately positioned in remote, rural locations with minimal surrounding infrastructure. These carefully selected areas are chosen not only for their abundance of Manuka trees, but also for their distance from intensive human activity and large-scale installations.

By situating our wooden beehives in isolated and natural environments, MNZ aims to provide stable conditions that support the bees’ natural behaviour, including orientation and homing ability. This approach forms part of our broader commitment to bee welfare and sustainable beekeeping practices.

Summary

Urbanization and the increasing use of wireless technologies lead to higher emission rates of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) in populated areas. This anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation is a form of environmental pollution and a potential stressor on bees or other flying insects. Cities often have a high density of wireless devices operating on microwave frequencies, which generate electromagnetic frequencies e.g. in the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz bands commonly used by the wireless technologies. To date the effects of nonionizing electromagnetic radiation on the vitality and behavior of insects are poorly understood. In our experiment we used honey bees as model organisms and analyzed the effects of defined exposures to 2.4 and 5.8 GHz on brood development, longevity and
homing ability under field conditions. To generate this radiation, we used a high-quality radiation source which generates a consistent, definable and realistic electromagnetic radiation, engineered for this experiment by the Communications Engineering Lab (CEL) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Our results show significant effects of long-term exposures on the homing ability of foraging honey bees, but no effects on brood development and adult worker longevity. Using this novel and high-quality technical set-up, this interdisciplinary work provides new data on the effects of these widely used frequencies on important fitness parameters of free-flying honey bees. M. Treder, M. Müller, L. Fellner, et al., Defined exposure of honey bee colonies to simulated radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RFEMF): Negative effects on the homing ability, but not on brood development or longevity, Science of the Total Environment (2023) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165211

MNZ’s decision to position hives away from large-scale infrastructure forms part of our broader commitment to bee welfare. We prioritise remote, natural locations that provide stable and undisturbed conditions for our colonies.

Bees rely on highly developed orientation and homing abilities for foraging and returning safely to the hive. By selecting isolated rural areas with minimal surrounding activity, MNZ supports a natural environment that allows these behaviours to function without unnecessary external disturbance.

This precautionary approach reflects our dedication to maintaining healthy colonies and sustainable beekeeping practices. Hive placement is only one element of a comprehensive Bee Protection & Health Program that includes regular hive inspections, strict quality control procedures and full compliance with New Zealand government regulations.

By focusing on responsible hive management and carefully selected environments, MNZ works to protect the wellbeing of its bees while producing high-quality, raw, unfiltered and unpasteurised monofloral Manuka honey. Supporting healthy pollinators remains central to our long-term sustainability and commitment to natural production standards.