GB2594524A - Systems and methods for monitoring pollination activity - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of monitoring pollination activity comprising capturing an image 210, analysing the image 220, detecting if the image contains at least one pollinator and at least one pollen element 230, determining a characteristic of the pollen element 240 and comparing the characteristic to one or more predefined characteristics to determine the source of the pollen element (310, figure 3). The image may be captured near a hive. The pollen element may be detected by determining if the image contains a pollen basket or scopa having pollen disposed thereon. The pollen characteristic may comprise one or more colours, wavelengths, or a dimension. The identified source may be a type of plant or a geographical location. The number of pollinators meeting a characteristic may be counted and a user notified in dependence on a predetermined threshold number. Data relating to the number of pollen baskets, pollinators, and pollen elements may be recorded in a memory and a report comprising one or more of the data may be produced. A system (100, figure 1) comprising an image capturing device (130, figure 1) for capturing an image and one or more processors (110, figure 1), optionally utilising machine learning algorithms, is also claimed.

Description

Making such a determination collectively for a colony may be useful in evaluating pollination optimisation; such embodiments are best presented in relation to FIGs. 4-8.

FIG. 4 provides an exemplary method 400 substantially similar to the method 300 of FIG. 3, but further comprising determining 410 a number of pollinators in the captured image having a pollen element with a characteristic which substantially corresponds to a predefined characteristic. For example, and as presented in FIG. 5, it may be desirable to determine 510 the colour(s) or wavelength of pollen in the pollen basket(s) of pollinator(s) in the captured image, compare 520 the determined colour(s) or wavelength(s) of the pollen in the pollen basket(s) to one or more predefined colours or wavelengths to determine the source of the pollen element, and then determine 530 a number of pollinators having a pollen element in the captured image with pollen of a colour or wavelength which substantially corresponds to a predefined colour, wavelength, or which falls within a range of wavelengths. It will be understood that in certain embodiments when the determined wavelength is compared with more than one predefined wavelength, the determined wavelength may be compared with a range of wavelengths. That is, whether the determined wavelength of pollen falls between a first predefined wavelength and a second predefined wavelength. What is more, the process of comparison may be repeated iteratively as desired. This would facilitate calculation of a percentage of pollinators foraging from a particular type of plant, and therefore possibly a percentage of pollinators foraging from a grower's land. As elucidated above, such determinations are crucial in evaluating pollination optimisation. If the percentage of pollinators with a target pollen colour or target wavelength is less than a predefined threshold, this would indicate that the pollinators are not working as they should and grower intervention may be required. For example, intervention may comprise one or more of: replacing a colony or colonies, adding a further colony or colonies, identifying the existence of competing foragers, or simply removing pollinators if the flowering season has ended. If the percentage of pollinators (e.g.) with pollen baskets containing a target pollen colour or target wavelength is greater than a predefined threshold, this would indicate to the grower that the pollinators are working well. A target wavelength may comprise a single pollen wavelength, or any pollen wavelength falling within a predefined range of wavelengths. When the target wavelength comprises a single pollen wavelength, the comparison to a predefined wavelength may be made to within a predefined margin, i.e. plus or minus