Knowledge graph centered on RFID tracking of bumble bee foraging behavior with 37 nodes and 142 connections. Top connected: Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gothic, Two-form Bumble Bee, Bumble Bees, Buff-tailed Bumble Bee.
Method synopsis
Custom-built RFID system using paired antenna cards and microSD data logging to continuously track individual bee movements in and out of nest boxes. System records timestamps for each entrance and exit event to quantify foraging trip duration and frequency.
Synthesized from method descriptions across 1 paper using this protocol.
Installed custom-made printed circuit board (PCB) connected to two antenna cards (Adafruit PN532) with onboard lithium-ion button-cell battery powering a 24-h clock and microSD card slot for data storage. Positioned antenna cards over a tunnel through which all bees had to walk to enter or exit their nest box. Each paired reader was powered by a portable 6V battery.
Quantities: RFID systems installed on subset of nest boxes, 2 antenna cards per systemDuration: During initial box setup and maintained throughout study periodConditions: Weatherproofed for outdoor use
Tagged queens within 24h of observing nest colonization. Temporarily removed queens from nest boxes and placed them into queen marking tubes. Identified them to species and attached RFID tag (3.2×3.2×0.4mm; 0.099g; Murata Electronics XMS333HCK-171) to their thorax with cyanoacrylate glue while queens were immobilized in the marking tube to avoid intentionally harming them.
Quantities: RFID tags measuring 3.2×3.2×0.4mm weighing 0.099gDuration: Within 24 hours of nest colonization detectionConditions: Done to avoid unintentionally harming queens during early nesting period
Monitored colonized nest boxes twice weekly during the day to replace RFID reader batteries and distributed nests as little as possible to avoid inadvertently encouraging nest abandonment. In 2022, conducted daily, hour-long in-person observations from the day that individual queens were tagged until 2 days after they ceased foraging, recording the time of all instances that queens or workers exited or entered the nest and the caste of the individual.
Quantities: Twice weekly monitoring for RFID maintenance, daily hour-long observations in 2022Duration: Throughout nesting season, daily observations until 2 days after cessation of foragingConditions: Daytime monitoring, minimizing disturbance to avoid nest abandonment