Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico have developed in the 18 months program Stealthy Insect Sensor Project a method for training the common honeybee to sniff out the explosives using bee's exceptional olfactory sense.

The new techniques would help in the fight against the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a critical factor for security of civilians and military troops worldwide. The trained bees stick out their proboscis, use to feed on nectar, when they feel explosives in anything from cars and roadside bombs to belts used by suicide bombers, a behavior displayed by these insects when they find nectar.

The bees were taught to associate the smell of vapors from TNT, C4 plastic explosives, TATP explosives and propellants with a sugar water reward. "When bees detect the presence of explosives, they simply stick their proboscis out," said Tim Haarmann, one of the researchers. "You don't have to be an expert in animal behavior to understand it, as there is no ambiguity."

"Scientists have long marveled at the honey bee's phenomenal sense of smell, which rivals that of dogs".

"But previous attempts to harness and understand this ability were scientifically unproven. With more knowledge, our team thought we could make use of this ability."

"We are very excited at the success of our research as it could have far-reaching implications for both defense and homeland security," Haarmann said.

The scientists isolated genetic and physiological differences between bees with good olfaction and those without. They also tested the power of their olfactory sense in the presence of interfering agents, such as lotions, motor oil, or insect repellent. The researchers also investigated sensory units in the bee's antenna and looked for biochemical traits that could improve their ability to store information. Bees outcompeted wasps when scientists chose a species for their project.

Bomb detecting bees could be carried in handheld detectors the size of a shoe box, and could be employed in airports, roadside security checks, or placed in robot bomb disposal equipment. The next step would be the training of security guards in using bee boxes. "It would be great to start saving some lives with this," said Haarmann.