Miniature robots will replace bees?

Around the beginning of the 21st century, reports of a mass extinction of bees have intensifiedół. The severe loss of bee colonies in 2006 was called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a honeybee mass die-off syndrome. Teamół disease affecting bees is characterized by a rapid loss of beeół volatiles located outside the hive. But this phenomenon does not affect only beesół. A worldwide decline in the number of insectóin pollinating.

The reasons for this phenomenon are many. A long list of factors has been establishedóIn causing CCDs. Amongód those most important are pesticide poisoning and bee diseasesół. You also have to add air pollution, parasites and ogóA long list of factors has been established. Vision of insect extinctionóin pollinators has raised serious concerns, because plants are, after all, a key source ofóThe food source for humans and animals.

Drones will help insects?

Japanese researchers led by Dr. Eijiro Miyako of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science have found a solution thatóre can helpóc insects in pollinating plants. They have adapted small drones to fulfill the role of the „pollinators”.

For dronesóThe bees have been attached with horsehair additionally coated with ionic gel. The gel is so sticky that pollen easily attaches to it. The whole thing was successfully tested in a plot of Japanese lilies. Gel ,któhe researchers used was developed by accident and stood on a laboratory shelf for eight yearsół. Only after it was dusted off did scientists realize its applicability.

The problem, however, may be the scale, because the beeół pollinating plants every year are billions, so this solution requires the creation of entire swarms ofóIn such miniature robotów. Drones can be implemented appropriate algorithms, whichóre would allow them to learn pollination routes. They can also be equipped with GPS and other sensors.

– We hope that our solution will help combat the problem of bee colony decline – Miyako said. – But most importantly, bees and drones should be used together – added.