Researchers have developed what they describe as a revolutionary robotic system that allows for continuous, long-term observation of honeybee colonies.
The research, published in the journal Science Robotics, seemingly marks a significant advancement in the field of digitised behavioural research. It was conducted by a group at Durham University, in collaboration with international partners.
The system, developed as part of the EU-funded ‘RoboRoyale’ project, enables 24/7 monitoring of queen bees and their interactions with worker bees.
Using autonomous robots and advanced AI algorithms, the researchers have been able to analyse millions of high-resolution images, extracting valuable data on bee behaviour that was previously impossible to obtain.
The robotic system collects a wide range of data, including the queen’s movement patterns, egg-laying behaviour, population counts, breeding success, and a continuously updated map of comb contents.
This comprehensive approach allows for a deeper understanding of the social self-regulation within bee colonies.
Initial findings from the research have revealed fascinating insights into bee behaviour. The team discovered that a queen bee covers approximately 1.5 kilometres in a month within the hive, moving across two honeycombs measuring about 42×33 cm.
Even more surprisingly, they found that queen bees lay an average of 187 eggs per day, even during the waning bee season in October.
Project coordinator Professor Farshad Arvin of Durham University emphasised the significance of this technology and said: “Our robotic system allows us to gather an unprecedented amount of data on honeybee behaviour.
“The insights we’re gaining could revolutionise our understanding of these complex social insects and potentially contribute to their conservation.”
The research setup consists of two high-resolution cameras that work autonomously to track the queen bee and map the comb contents. Using infrared light to avoid disturbing the bees, the system has captured and analysed over 100 million individual images, a volume that would be practically impossible for human scientists to process manually.
This groundbreaking research not only provides new insights into honeybee behaviour but also demonstrates the potential of advanced robotics and AI in studying complex ecosystems.
The Durham University team, along with their partners in the University of Graz in Austria, the Czech Technical University in the Czech Republic, and the Middle East Technical University in Turkey, aims to extend these digital methods to other important animal and plant species, potentially transforming the field of ecological research.
