Researcher creates virtual bee

A PhD student has created a virtual bee to help uncover new information on the behaviour of bumble bees.

The artificial intelligence gained from the insect will help inform policy-makers about cross-pollination between GM and non-GM crops.

University of Exeter student Daniel Chalk put his computer model to the test, and found the virtual and real-life bees to be very similar.

The key finding from the research is that bumble bees do not cross-pollinate between GM and non-GM crops as much as previously thought, as they do not stray very far.

Conservation

Daniel, who has been researching bumble bees for five years, said "My research has shown that bumble bees are very efficient foragers and will only travel long distances if they really need to.”

"We showed that containment strategies could be put in place - creating a shield of 'sacrificial crops' for example - as bees tend to favour moves to neighbouring sites."

Although the purpose of his study was to look at the potential for cross-pollination from GM crops, Daniel hopes the findings may also help with the massive bee conservation effort now under way.