Can It Bee?

Honeybees: The Tiny Navigators

Honeybees are known for their remarkable agility in flight, despite having brains the size of a sesame seed. Researchers at the All-Weather Bee-flight Facility at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra are studying the navigation techniques of bees with the aim of using them in miniature flying robotic spies and unmanned planetary exploration probes.

How Bees Navigate

Bees possess a range of sensory equipment to aid their navigation. They have airspeed gauges, gyroscopes, a 'compass' that detects the polarization of sunlight, UV sensors to track the horizon and measure tilt, and two compound eyes. Each compound eye is made up of 7,000 hexagonal (six-sided) facets, which provide an extensive field of vision. These facets contain sub-eyes called ommatidia, each pointing in a different direction and allowing the bee to detect motion effectively.

One fascinating aspect of bee navigation is their use of optic flow. Optic flow refers to the movement of images as an observer moves through space. Bees have been found to fly in such a way that the image speed stays constant, allowing them to gauge their distance from objects or surfaces. By manipulating patterns on walls in tunnels, researchers demonstrated that bees used optic flow to navigate. When the pattern on one side moved in the same direction as the bees flew, indicating greater distance, the bees adjusted their flight path accordingly.

Bees' Use of Optic Flow

Bees' ability to maintain constant image speed has several practical applications. It enables them to fly faster in open spaces and slow down in cluttered spaces or veer away from obstacles. Optic flow also helps bees during landing as they can automatically slow down to keep the optic flow constant as they descend closer to the ground at a constant angle. Bees even use optic flow to measure distances to food sources, which they communicate to other bees through special dances.

The reliance on optic flow does have limitations, as it requires sufficient contrast in the surroundings for images to be detectable. This explains why bees may become disoriented when faced with artificial environments such as glass windows or painted walls.

Flying Robots and Optic Flow

Researchers are exploring the potential of using optic flow in robotics. Conventional guidance systems like GPS have limitations, such as vulnerability to signal jamming and the need for pre-mapped objects. Optic flow could provide a self-steering capability for robots, allowing them to navigate independently. A prototype helicopter has already achieved the ability to hover in one spot using optic flow. However, there are challenges to overcome, such as miniaturizing the technology for bee-sized flying robots and developing efficient algorithms and energy-saving chips.

Bees: Designed for Flight

The compound eye of bees has been hailed as evidence against intelligent design by some evolutionists. However, it is an excellent design for small creatures like bees, enabling them to navigate efficiently using optic flow. The assertion that a designer wouldn't use a certain design is not a scientific argument but a pseudo-theological one. Furthermore, molecular evidence suggests that compound eyes have multiple independent origins, consistent with separate creations by a single designer.

Why This Matters

Understanding the incredible abilities of honeybees can inspire awe and appreciation for the intricate design found in nature. It also challenges the notion that naturalistic explanations alone can account for such complexity. The study of bee navigation has practical implications for robotics and unmanned exploration, pushing the boundaries of human technological advancement.

Think About It

Consider the complexity and precision required for bees to navigate and communicate using optic flow. How does this intricate system reflect the ingenuity of a master designer? Can evolutionary mechanisms adequately explain the emergence of such sophisticated navigation capabilities in bees?