Man-made high tech, extremely small radio transmitters and ancient highly efficient natural detection ‘equipment’ are being deployed at AgResearch in Hamilton, to find alternatives to the honey bee for crop pollination.

Examples of potential pollinators are neatly pinned to labelled trays.

Other pollinators
However, AgResearchers are not limiting their quest for efficient pollinators to just bees. “There are a whole lot of beetles and flies which are also effective pollinators.”

David’s lab has examples of potential pollinators, many of which are also under investigation, neatly pinned to labelled trays.

Meanwhile Ollie and his bumblebee finding abilities, has become so popular he has his own Twitter account – @TheOllieBuzz

David Pattemore’s lab was among the AgrResearch facilities visited by journalists attending the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists’ Congress in Hamilton in October.

Ollie the Hungarian Hunting Hound sniffs out queen bumblebees in their nests so researchers can identify the locations and conditions queens prefer to nest in.