Exposure to an additional alternating magnetic field affects comb building by worker hornets.

Abstract

Oriental hornet workers, kept in an Artificial Breeding Box (ABB) without a queen, construct within a few days brood combs of hexagonal cells with apertures facing down. These combs possess stems that fasten the former to the roof of the ABB. In an ABB with adult workers (more than 24 h after eclosion), exposed to an AC (50 Hz) magnetic field of a magnitude of B = 50-70 mGauss, the combs and cells are built differently from those of a control ABB, subjected only to the natural terrestrial magnetic field. The effects of the additional magnetic field consist of (a) 35-55% smaller number of cells and fewer eggs in each comb, (b) disrupted symmetry of building, with many deformed and imperfectly hexagonal cells, and (c) more delicate and slender comb stems.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Worker hornets exposed in an artificial breeding box to an additional 50 Hz AC magnetic field (B = 50–70 mGauss) built combs differently than controls exposed only to the natural terrestrial magnetic field. Reported effects included 35–55% fewer cells and fewer eggs per comb, disrupted symmetry with deformed/imperfectly hexagonal cells, and more delicate/slender comb stems.

Outcomes measured

• Comb building (number of cells)
• Eggs per comb
• Cell symmetry/morphology (deformed/imperfectly hexagonal cells)
• Comb stem morphology (delicate/slender stems)

Limitations

• No sample size reported in the abstract.
• Exposure duration not reported in the abstract.
• Study context is an artificial breeding box without a queen; generalizability to natural colonies is unclear from the abstract.
• No statistical methods or variability measures described in the abstract.

Suggested hubs

• occupational-exposure (0.2)
  ELF 50 Hz magnetic-field exposure is described, but the setting is experimental/animal rather than a clear occupational scenario.

{
    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "ELF",
        "source": "other",
        "frequency_mhz": 0.05000000000000000277555756156289135105907917022705078125,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": "Oriental hornet workers (kept in an Artificial Breeding Box without a queen)",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Comb building (number of cells)",
        "Eggs per comb",
        "Cell symmetry/morphology (deformed/imperfectly hexagonal cells)",
        "Comb stem morphology (delicate/slender stems)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Worker hornets exposed in an artificial breeding box to an additional 50 Hz AC magnetic field (B = 50–70 mGauss) built combs differently than controls exposed only to the natural terrestrial magnetic field. Reported effects included 35–55% fewer cells and fewer eggs per comb, disrupted symmetry with deformed/imperfectly hexagonal cells, and more delicate/slender comb stems.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "No sample size reported in the abstract.",
        "Exposure duration not reported in the abstract.",
        "Study context is an artificial breeding box without a queen; generalizability to natural colonies is unclear from the abstract.",
        "No statistical methods or variability measures described in the abstract."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "oriental hornet",
        "worker hornets",
        "comb building",
        "alternating magnetic field",
        "AC magnetic field",
        "50 Hz",
        "ELF magnetic field",
        "brood comb",
        "cell morphology"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "occupational-exposure",
            "weight": 0.200000000000000011102230246251565404236316680908203125,
            "reason": "ELF 50 Hz magnetic-field exposure is described, but the setting is experimental/animal rather than a clear occupational scenario."
        }
    ]
}

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