National Geographic News, Reporting Your World Daily

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Photo: Tiny Radio Tags Offer Rare Glimpse into Bees' Universe


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A bee wears a 170-milligram (.006 ounces) radio tracking tag, about one-third of its body weight.

The tag, attached with eyelash glue and superglue, is powered by a hearing-aid battery and includes a crystal-controlled oscillator, tiny circuit and an antenna that sticks out from the back. Even loaded up like this, the bees "fly beautifully," says zoologist Martin Wikelski.

Photograph by Christian Ziegler