Bees have been trained to sniff out explosives using Pavlovian training techniques.
Credit: REUTERS/Dani Cardona
PHOENIX: Bees have been trained to sniff out explosives, according to scientists at a U.S. weapons laboratory, in a project they say could have far-reaching applications in national security and the war in Iraq.
Researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, USA, said they trained honeybees to stick out their proboscis - the tube they use to feed on nectar - when they smell explosives in anything from cars and roadside bombs to belts similar to those used by suicide bombers.
"Scientists have long marveled at the honey bee's phenomenal sense of smell, which rivals that of dogs," said Tim Haarmann, who led the research, dubbed the Stealthy Insect Sensor Project. "But previous attempts to harness and understand this ability were scientifically unproven. With more knowledge, our team thought we could make use of this ability."
Using Pavlovian training techniques in which bees were exposed to the odour of explosives followed by a sugar water reward, researchers said they had trained bees to recognise substances ranging from dynamite and C-4 plastic explosives to the Howitzer propellant grains used in improvised explosive devices in Iraq.
While scientists have previously trained wasps to respond to the trace of explosives, Haarmann said research with bees appeared to show more promise.
"When bees detect the presence of explosives, they simply stick their proboscis out," Haarmann said. "You don't have to be an expert in animal behavior to understand it as there is no ambiguity."
The team determined how well bees could detect explosives in the presence of potentially interfering agents, such as lotions, motor oil, or insect repellant.
They also studied structural units in the honey bee's antenna and looked for biochemical and molecular mechanisms that could advance their ability to be trained and retain their training for longer periods of time.
The findings followed 18 months of research at the U.S. Energy Department's Los Alamos facility, the nation's leading nuclear weapons laboratory.
"We are very excited at the success of our research as it could have far-reaching implications for both defence and homeland security," Haarmann said.
He said the bees could be carried in hand-held detectors the size of a shoe box, and could be used to sniff out explosives in airports, roadside security checks, or even placed in robot bomb disposal equipment.
The next step, according to Haarmann, would be to manufacture the bee boxes and train security guards in their use.
"It would be great to start saving some lives with this," he said.
