Kew Gardens glues 'backpacks' on to bees to help tackle rapid decline in numbers

 
Backpacks: A bumblebee wearing one of the devices (Picture: RBG Kew)
Tom Marshall25 March 2015

Bumblebees have been fitted with miniature "backpacks" so scientists can track their movements.

The tiny devices were attached with superglue to bees at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

The insects had to be chilled for 10 minutes, to make them more docile, and restrained with pins so the 8mm-long devices can be stuck onto their backs.

Ecologists hope to gain a deeper understanding of the their behaviour and vital insights into the threats the faced by Britain's bees.

Bees play a crucial role in pollinating crops but scientists are gravely concerned about a rapid decline in their numbers.

Restrained: The bees are chilled and pinned down so the devices can be attached (Picture: RBG Kew)

Dr Sarah Barlow, from the Royal Botanic Gardens, said: "This new technology will open up possibilities for scientists to track bees in the landscape.

"This piece of the puzzle, of bee behaviour, is absolutely vital if we are to understand better why our bees are struggling and how we can reverse their decline."

The new devices, made up of microchips and small aerials, are said to be "far superior" to previous insect tracking tools, which are much more limited in range. Signals can now be picked up from 2.5 metres away.

The technology was developed by tech company Tumbling Dice Ltd and trialled at Kew’s Quarantine House.

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