Honey bees detect explosives

Reuters/Ynet:

Scientists at a US weapons laboratory say they have trained bees to sniff out explosives in a project they say could have far-reaching applications for US homeland security and the Iraq war.


Researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico 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.


Researchers in the program, dubbed the Stealthy Insect Sensor Project, published their findings today.


By exposing the insects to the odor of explosives followed by a sugar water reward, researchers said they trained bees to recognize substances ranging from dynamite and C-4 plastic explosives to the Howitzer propellant grains used in improvised explosive devices in Iraq.

"When bees detect the presence of explosives, they simply stick their proboscis out," research scientist Tim Haarmann told Reuters in a telephone interview. "You don't have to be an expert in animal behavior to understand it as there is no ambiguity."

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Haarmann 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.

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Apparently they do not have the trained to sniff out the explosive and come back and tell you. While that may sound far fetched it would be a significant advantage in dealing with IED's since the enemy would find it difficult to attack the bees sniffing around their booby trap. It is a pretty exciting discovery.