Before We Abandon Honey Bees For Robots—How Can We Save the Bee?

We love honey and fruits. But bee populations are dwindling, and scientists are stepping up efforts to produce a robot that can pollinate flowers. The latest robot is from an unlikely source—the US retail giant Walmart. How can we save the honey bee?

Image Credit: Polynoid/Greenpeace/Vimeo

Robot Bees

In 1945, Zoologist Karl von Frisch demonstrated that the dance of the forager bee is complex code and got a Nobel Prize for his discovery. Since then scientists have made robots to imitate bees with some limited success.

Bees communicate by performing a dance, which tells other bees the location, type and amount of nectar or food available. In 2011, scientists from the Free University of Berlin in Germany unveiled a robot called RoboBee, which was able to convince native bees to go and look for food among old bee feeders.

According to CB Insights, Walmart filed a patent for free robotic bees, called pollination drones, to carry pollen from one flower to another. The drones are designed to locate crops using cameras and sensors and fertilize them. Walmart filed the patent on 8 May 2018 along with licenses for robots to monitor pests and crop health.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)

According to The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), bees pollinate about a third of our food crops, but they are dying at unprecedented rates. Following are some factors contributing to the shrinking bee population, a phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

Parasitic Varroa mite—parasite attacks is a significant factor in colony loss in many places around the world. The bugs are becoming increasingly resistant to chemicals beekeepers use, which contribute to colony disorder.

Genetic diversity—bees lack genetic diversity, and farmers should emphasize it during breeding. Increased diversity improves disease resistance, worker productivity and the ability to keep body temperature steady during adverse weather.

Use of pesticides—scientists do not fully understand the impact of pesticides on bee colonies.

Image Credit: Polynoid/Greenpeace/Vimeo

Save the Honey Bee

There is scientific evidence that the use of pesticides called neonicotinoids damages the survival of honeybee colonies. The EU has banned the use of neonicotinoids among flowering plants in EU countries.

Although Colony Collapse Disorder losses were down 27% from 2016 in 2017 in the US, Bloomberg reported that the improvement was due to the constant replenishment of beehives. The adverse effects of pesticides and parasites remain.

We all enjoy eating honey. Most importantly, bees pollinate our crops. Walmart is funding the production of a robot bee to help pollinate crops. How can we contribute to efforts to save the honey bee?

As Steemians, we can contribute to efforts to save the bee by using pesticides sparingly. Let us educate our friends, colleagues and family members about the honey bee and the dangers of using neonicotinoids.

Sources:

New Scientist: RoboBee speaks honeybee dance language by Michael Marshall, 17 August 2011
The Guardian: Pesticides damage survival of bee colonies, landmark study shows by Damian Carrington, 29 July 2017
Bloomberg: Bees Are Bouncing Back From Colony Collapse Disorder by Alan Bjerga, 2 August 2017