Hey, remember those robotic bees that were going to save our species from extinction – or at least, from greatly reduced produce options?
Okay, so it’s not quite a reality yet – but that hasn’t stopped Greenpeace from imagining what our world would look like if and when we actually need a robotic insect to keep the natural processes of our planet in check. The worst part is, we may need these robot bees now more than ever.
New research shows that 30% of Canadian honeybees may have been killed off by this year’s extremely harsh winter. According to CBC,
Honeybees live in hives throughout the winter, unlike other insects, which either migrate or avoid cold by burrowing in soil or moving indoors.
The bees rely on nectar and pollen from flowers for fuel, but the prolonged cold weather has also affected the spring growing season. If there are no flowers for honeybees to feed on when they come out of hibernation, the insects could starve.
… the lack of sustenance could also affect butterflies, as they spend the winter as larva, surviving without food all winter and during metamorphosis in the spring.
So this spring, instead of swatting bees away from your body, do everything you can to save them.
via Sploid