The BumbleBox: An open‐source platform for quantifying behaviour in bumblebee colonies
Abstract Bumblebees (Apini: Bombus) are important pollinators globally and an emerging model system for studying the ecology and evolution of social behaviour and effects of environmental stressors on bees. Behavioural studies of bumblebees have conventionally relied on labour and time‐intensive man...
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| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Ecological Solutions and Evidence |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.70052 |
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| author | August Easton‐Calabria James D. Crall |
| author_facet | August Easton‐Calabria James D. Crall |
| author_sort | August Easton‐Calabria |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Bumblebees (Apini: Bombus) are important pollinators globally and an emerging model system for studying the ecology and evolution of social behaviour and effects of environmental stressors on bees. Behavioural studies of bumblebees have conventionally relied on labour and time‐intensive manual observations. While recent years have seen rapid advances in automated behavioural tracking in social insects, these tracking technologies are often expensive and require extensive programming experience, limiting accessibility and widespread adoption. Here we introduce the BumbleBox, an open‐source system for the tagging, automated tracking and behavioural quantification of individual bumblebees that can be built using low‐cost consumer components, DIY fabrication (i.e. 3D‐printing and laser‐cutting) and printed ‘Augmented Reality University of Cordoba’ (ArUco) markers. We provide an integrated pipeline for data collection and analysis, including nest arena design, software for automated collection of video data and the quantification of individual behaviour. Practical implication: The BumbleBox system is designed to be (a) accessible, requiring no prior experience with programming or hardware design to operate; (b) scalable, allowing long‐term, automated tracking across many units in parallel at low cost; and (c) modular, allowing for flexible adoption to unique applications in bumblebees and other systems. We validate the use of this system in a widespread bumblebee species (B. impatiens) that is both commercially and ecologically important. Finally, we highlight widespread potential applications in quantifying behaviour and pollinator health in bumblebees and other social insects, including screening impacts of pesticides and other environmental stressors on social behaviour. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-233390a0095945df87f89ad930e122e5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2688-8319 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Solutions and Evidence |
| spelling | doaj-art-233390a0095945df87f89ad930e122e52025-08-20T03:28:56ZengWileyEcological Solutions and Evidence2688-83192025-04-0162n/an/a10.1002/2688-8319.70052The BumbleBox: An open‐source platform for quantifying behaviour in bumblebee coloniesAugust Easton‐Calabria0James D. Crall1Department of Entomology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin USADepartment of Entomology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin USAAbstract Bumblebees (Apini: Bombus) are important pollinators globally and an emerging model system for studying the ecology and evolution of social behaviour and effects of environmental stressors on bees. Behavioural studies of bumblebees have conventionally relied on labour and time‐intensive manual observations. While recent years have seen rapid advances in automated behavioural tracking in social insects, these tracking technologies are often expensive and require extensive programming experience, limiting accessibility and widespread adoption. Here we introduce the BumbleBox, an open‐source system for the tagging, automated tracking and behavioural quantification of individual bumblebees that can be built using low‐cost consumer components, DIY fabrication (i.e. 3D‐printing and laser‐cutting) and printed ‘Augmented Reality University of Cordoba’ (ArUco) markers. We provide an integrated pipeline for data collection and analysis, including nest arena design, software for automated collection of video data and the quantification of individual behaviour. Practical implication: The BumbleBox system is designed to be (a) accessible, requiring no prior experience with programming or hardware design to operate; (b) scalable, allowing long‐term, automated tracking across many units in parallel at low cost; and (c) modular, allowing for flexible adoption to unique applications in bumblebees and other systems. We validate the use of this system in a widespread bumblebee species (B. impatiens) that is both commercially and ecologically important. Finally, we highlight widespread potential applications in quantifying behaviour and pollinator health in bumblebees and other social insects, including screening impacts of pesticides and other environmental stressors on social behaviour.https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.70052automated behavioural trackinglow‐costopen‐sourcepollinator healthsocial insect behaviour |
| spellingShingle | August Easton‐Calabria James D. Crall The BumbleBox: An open‐source platform for quantifying behaviour in bumblebee colonies Ecological Solutions and Evidence automated behavioural tracking low‐cost open‐source pollinator health social insect behaviour |
| title | The BumbleBox: An open‐source platform for quantifying behaviour in bumblebee colonies |
| title_full | The BumbleBox: An open‐source platform for quantifying behaviour in bumblebee colonies |
| title_fullStr | The BumbleBox: An open‐source platform for quantifying behaviour in bumblebee colonies |
| title_full_unstemmed | The BumbleBox: An open‐source platform for quantifying behaviour in bumblebee colonies |
| title_short | The BumbleBox: An open‐source platform for quantifying behaviour in bumblebee colonies |
| title_sort | bumblebox an open source platform for quantifying behaviour in bumblebee colonies |
| topic | automated behavioural tracking low‐cost open‐source pollinator health social insect behaviour |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.70052 |
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