Insect Apocalypse? Robotic bees to pollinate crops

High temperatures are threatening insect species with bumblebees being one of the most affected.

By Wiktoria Walkowiak

Bee on a flower. Credits: Shutterstock

Bumblebees are one of the most important pollinators in the world, but their numbers are dropping. Now scientists are discussing the possibilities of creating flying robots to pollinate crops. Last year, National Geographic published a report stating that in North America you are now 50% less likely to see a bee in any given area than in 1974.

The Science journal published a report which identifies why there is such a drastic decline in bumblebees. Climate change is the answer. It says: "Increasing frequencies of temperatures that exceed historically observed tolerances help explain widespread bumblebee species decline." In many places like Canada, where bee species once flourished, the rusty-patched bumblebee has disappeared and is considered endangered by National Geographic.

The decline of bumblebees is dangerous for the environment. They pollinate crops like tomatoes, cranberries and blueberries and are essential to help many flowering plants reproduce. "As these plants are then used by a myriad of other organisms, the decline of bumblebees can have cascading ecological effects that may collectively cause biodiversity loss," says ecologist Matthew Austin.

As bumblebees become endangered, we need to think of possible ways to save them. As intriguing as pollinating flowers using miniature robotic bees may sound, they cannot fully replace the quality of work bees produce. Authors of a United Nations report blame the decline of pollinators on habitat loss, farming methods which include the spread of toxic pesticides on plants, and climate change such as increasing temperatures.

We can start making a difference today by merely going easy on chemicals and offering bumblebees real estate in our back gardens, starting from planting a diverse range of native flowers.