A white-tailed bumblebee gathers for nectar in Knutsford, UK, 8 August 2022.bees play an important role … [+]
A 2021 study published in the journal Open Science of the Royal Society details how honeybees issue a rallying call for collective defense against Asian wasp attacks. The study notes that this signal was previously undiscovered and is now known as the anti-predator pipe. Research suggests that this ‘pipe’ shares acoustic signatures with alarm shrieks, fear cries, and panic cries in primates, birds, and meerkats.
In 2021, new york times Asian hornets reported being able to kill a bee every 14 seconds. In October 2020, Washington State Department of Agriculture entomologists discovered the first US giant hornet nest in Blaine, Washington.
According to Matthieu Hermes, co-founder of Pollenize, Asian hornets have been a problem for bees since they were introduced in 2003. “Asian hornets colonized Europe 20 years after DNA analysis traced two queens back to Bordeaux in 2003,” said Hermès. in an email interview.
In April 2023, a second Asian hornet was discovered in the UK this year, threatening the UK’s bee population.
Scale from bees to wasps to wasps.
“Because wasps are invasive species that target pollinators and bees, we need to destroy all wasp nests (not bee hives),” Hermes said. “Currently, Asian hornets are depleting bee populations, so destroying their hives will go a long way in saving bees.”
Pollenize is a UK social enterprise focused on building healthy planet ecosystems by supporting pollinators such as bees, moths and butterflies. Pollenize partners with technology companies and organizations to develop new ways to track and improve biodiversity so insects can recover and local environments can thrive.
“The fight against Asian wasps and the decline of pollinators go hand in hand,” Hermes added.
Pollenize uses artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision, partnering with computer vision technology company Encord, to develop a prototype device that can detect Asian hornets. “The device is in the late stages of research and development, collecting images of Asian hornets to retrain computer vision models,” Hermes said.
Hermès said the Asian hornet detector could track Asian wasps and notify local authorities, which could help save the UK’s bee population, so local authorities could find their nests. He says it can be destroyed.
The device is placed inside a box containing a small wasp attractant reservoir. The device is equipped with an AI camera that uses Encord’s data annotation tools to identify Asian hornets. When an Asian wasp lands on the attractant, an AI camera above the attractant observes it, and a computer vision model uses object detection to determine whether it is a common wasp, an Asian wasp, or a European wasp. determine whether there is
“If the AI system detects an Asian hornet, it will send an alert to Pollenize, who will contact the authorities,” Hermes said. “Authorities can radio-tag it and track the wasps to their nests to destroy them.”
According to Encord co-founder and CEO Eric Landau, Asian hornets pose a significant threat to the presence of bees and other pollinators.
“They are not yet naturalized in the UK, but they could invade the UK,” Mr Landor said. “It is important to identify and track Asian hornets to their nest locations to prevent naturalization in the UK and protect pollinator populations.”
Landau said the benefits of providing the company’s computer vision tools to Pollenize’s projects are that it makes the project more efficient and saves time. “Using our computer vision tools, Pollenize’s team was able to quickly annotate his 4,500 images of different species of pollinators and wasps,” Landau said. says.
“Our computer vision technology enables the automatic detection and tracking of Asian wasps using cameras and image processing algorithms to help pollinators identify and track Asian wasps and ultimately destroy their nests. will be able to run.”
Computer vision and wildlife
Landau says computer vision could offer many opportunities for endangered wildlife.
“The Asian hornet detector is an example of how computer vision can be used to detect threats, thereby mitigating them and extending pollinator lifespans and populations,” said Landau. “It can also be used for population monitoring, such as tracking changes in the numbers of endangered species. can be identified.”
Habitat monitoring is another example of how computer vision can help wildlife, Landau said.
“Pollenize used Encord’s computer vision tools to identify forage biodiversity in the field,” says Landau. “This tool allows Pollenize to know how abundant each flower is, so it can determine if nectar is available in the area.”
“Computer vision can also be used to detect disease in wildlife populations. By analyzing images of animals, wildlife organizations can identify signs of disease and take necessary actions to prevent the spread of disease. We can teach,” added Landau.
Landau believes the adoption of computer vision in these projects will become more prevalent and its applications more diverse. He cites use cases such as advanced surveillance systems, such as drones equipped with computer vision technology, that can survey large areas and identify pollinator populations in real time.
“Over time, AI and machine learning will advance further, which means computer vision systems will become more accurate and efficient, potentially in developing more effective conservation strategies for pollinators.” It could be connected,” Landau added.
Besides the Asian wasp device, Encord is backing Pollenize, which determines the biodiversity of forage in local fields in the UK and how abundant each flower is, which in turn determines the availability of nectar. It helps us understand gender.
“Pollenize is developing an edge algorithm using the Encord platform that will allow us to determine the difference between 896 macro moths,” Elmes said. “By studying these moths, Pollenize can determine how healthy an area is for pollinators.”
Pollenize hopes to use computer vision and AI to use its technology to decipher the “waggle” dance of bees.
