SEND IN THE DRONES?

For several years, media have reported on the collapse of honey bee colonies. Apparent thriving colonies suddenly die or disappear from their hives. Numerous possible causes for such growing loss of bees have been advanced, such as disease, mites, pesticides, herbicides harsh weather, etc. However, no primary cause has been identified for what commonly has been referred to as colony collapse disorder. Such losses of colonies are of serious concern, of course, because honey bees are primary pollinators of much of our food supply, affecting everything ranging from orchards to back yard garden plots.

In addition, bee losses are stressing apiaries which produce new colonies for beekeepers who are in the business of furnishing bees for pollination of crops across the country. Often, major suppliers of new colonies are sold out in the the Fall for deliveries the following year, unable to keep up with the demand from beekeepers who have sustained losses.

Research into the cause of colony collapse is ongoing. Meanwhile, the public have embraced an effort to repopulate honey bees by establishing new hives in urban areas such as the White House and rooftops of city high-rises as well as in back yards.

Recently, I read a published report which discussed an effort by a scientist in Japan to develop an artificial pollinator that could fly on to a blossom, grab some pollen and fly to another flower--an artificial honey bee, if you will. He fitted a small drone with horse hair and a gel to mimic the fuzz on a bee. His drone was able to pollinate lilies by collecting pollen from one flower and dropping off some of it at another flower. According to the report, he believes that a fleet of drones , guided by GPS and artificial intelligence, could pollinate along with bees.

Interestingly, honey bees already have drones. Drones are the male bees. They do not work, gather no pollen or nectar, make no honey, and do not even feed themselves. Their only function is to mate with a new queen bee should the need arise.

The use of artificial pollinators, even if their development and use could be perfected on a mass scale, could be problematic. Honey bees do not collect pollen to be charitable. They collect pollen because it is essential as a food ingredient for brood production. In a way, it is their bread. If artificial pollinators were able to compete with natural pollinators for pollen on any large scale, honey bee colonies may well experience still another limiting factor on their continued success and existence.

Send in the drones?