Behavioral control and changes in brain activity of honeybee during flapping

Area of Science:

• Neurobiology
• Robotics
• Insect Physiology

Background:

• Insect cyborgs offer novel robotic applications by interfacing with insect neurobiology.
• Controlling insect flight trajectories via stimulation is a key goal.
• The precise neuroregulatory mechanisms of insect flight remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neuro-mechanism underlying honeybee flight behaviors.
• To determine optimal electrical stimulation parameters for initiating and controlling honeybee flight.
• To validate the concept of a cyborg honeybee capable of controlled flight.

Main Methods:

• Applied electrical stimulation to the optic lobes of semi-constrained honeybees.
• Recorded flight initiation, flapping frequency, and duration using high-speed videography.
• Collected and analyzed local field potential signals from optic lobes using power spectrum estimation.

Main Results:

• Identified optimal electrical parameters for initiating honeybee flight.
• Observed significant variation in flapping duration but consistent flapping frequency across individuals.
• Detected a distinct power spectral density fluctuation peak (20-30 Hz) during flapping, indicating altered brain activity.

Conclusions:

• Established optimal electrical parameters for honeybee flight initiation and control.
• Verified the feasibility of controlling honeybee flight through brain electrical stimulation.
• Demonstrated that PSD fluctuations in a specific frequency band can serve as indicators of flight activity.