Abstract
Flying social insects can provide models of the interactions needed for aerial robot swarms having limited processing resources. The ability to simultaneously make precise measurements of insect wing and body motions on such interacting insects is a recent capability, and chemical exposure may be used to modulate the interactions between insects. These interaction effects must be distinguished from the chemicals’ effect on non-interacting insects. In this experiment, four high speed cameras (9000 fps) were used to track the wing and body motions of insects (Apis mellifera). Digitization, consisting of data association, hull reconstruction, and segmentation, achieved the first quantitative high speed measurements of ethanol exposed honey bees’ wing and body motions. Kinematic analysis considered the trial wide mean and maximum values and gross wingstroke parameters, and tested deviations for statistical significance using Welch’s t-test and Cohen’s d test. The results indicate a decrease in maximal heading and pitch rates of the body, and that roll rate is affected at high concentrations (5%). The wingstroke effects include a stroke frequency decrease, stroke amplitude increase, stroke inclination angle increase, and a more planar wingstroke. These effects due to ethanol exposure are valuable tools to separate from interaction effects.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
* ishriak.ahmed{at}okstate.edu
