14.02.2021 Views

Be a Hummingbird

Welcome to the second edition of the 6th graders research journal where we find out more about the action that they are taking to protect the planet.

Welcome to the second edition of the 6th graders research journal where we find out more about the action that they are taking to protect the planet.

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So if robotic bees are superior pollinators then what

other advantages do they have?

When the temperatures rise and it gets hot, the natural

bees go to the front of the hive and flap their wings really

quickly to make like an air current and there will be a fan

that air conditions the temperature of the hive. When the

temperature of the air is between 57-100°F, honey bees are

usually eager to work. However, they cannot fly very well

when the temperature is below 55°F. Some sources state

that flying activity does not take place outside of the

50-110°F air temperature range.

When the air temperature is around 64°F, honey bees

can begin to cluster together in the hive to keep the queen

and themselves warm. At outside air temperatures of

around 57°F, the honey bees will cluster more closely

together and the exterior of the cluster will appear more

compact. They also stay in their hives and use their wings

to cover them like a blanket.

Unlike natural bees, robotic bees get the upper

hand here because they can continue working

under extreme temperatures.

So, does this mean that robots can just replace our bees? To

summarise this information, natural bees can harvest 30%

of the available pollen while robotic bees can harvest 41% of

the available pollen. (1-0) But, even though they get more

pollen, they still need to convert it into honey, and robotic

bees cannot do that. In conclusion, natural bees get the

upper hand here.

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