This remarkable discovery showcases the unexpected, yet profoundly helpful capabilities of honey bees. These tiny creatures are now found to be efficient bomb detectors, a task previously associated primarily with trained sniffer dogs used by the police and military forces.
- Honey bees have been discovered to possess the surprising ability to detect bombs, a skill typically associated with trained sniffer dogs employed by police and military forces.
- This discovery highlights the unexpected and incredibly useful capabilities these small insects possess.
- Potential applications of this discovery could revolutionize the way we approach bomb detection, leveraging the natural abilities of honey bees.
How Do Bees Detect Bombs?
These bees, gifted with a great sense of smell due to having a healthy hive, naturally extend their tongues (proboscis) when they encounter food. Scientists have utilized this instinctual behavior to train bees to react in a similar manner when they sense the odor of explosives. This process, referred to as ‘classical conditioning training,’ enables the bees to associate a specific scent with food, making them extend their tongues when they detect the aroma of explosives.
Around the world, various initiatives have emerged, leveraging this unique ability of bees. A team of scientists in Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA, published a study showing the successful training of bees to detect explosives in a range of items, from cars to belts. UK’s Inscentinel Ltd also developed a device using bees to detect explosives with astonishing sensitivity, down to 78 parts per trillion!
The Bomb Detection Process
Once trained, these bees are placed in a special cartridge equipped with a digital camera and image recognition software. When an air sample carrying the scent of explosives is introduced, the system captures the extension of the bee’s proboscis, thus indicating the presence of explosives. The bees are then returned to their hives unharmed.
The Scope of Bee Bomb Detection
This innovative method of bomb detection is particularly effective in identifying live land mines. Bees can detect land mines from a distance of three miles and swarm around them. By tracking their movements with heat-sensing cameras, the locations of these mines can be pinpointed. Croatia, where land mines from the early 1990s Balkans conflict still pose a threat, is one such country harnessing the olfactory capabilities of bees for this purpose.
Beyond Bomb Detection
Bees’ sniffing talents are not limited to detecting explosives. Theoretically, using classical conditioning methods, bees can be trained to sniff out anything from illegal drugs to human illnesses. While other insects, like wasps, can also be trained similarly, honey bees, living in vast colonies, are easier and more efficient to train. Even wasps and hissing cockroaches are being explored for similar roles, including in robot development work.
