Tiny QR codes attached to the backs of bees allow scientists to track how much time bees spend foraging outside the hive. Most bees make quick trips, but some spend more than two hours on the journey. The study showed that bees forage longer than previously thought and often fly long distances when flowers are scarce.
The project’s technology is a breakthrough in bee research, allowing continuous automated tracking, unlike traditional methods based on short human observations, scientists say.
The system is inexpensive and can be used by anyone, helping beekeepers and researchers understand bee behavior in new ways.
