Albert Einstein once said that when bees disappear, mankind will soon follow suit. Bees have a momentous role in the food chain – the pollination of as many as 85% of the plants on the planet depends on them. For some, the end of the world is not away, given that bees have been disappearing steadily in USA and Canada, where genetic modification of plant and animal species started. According to a survey of British researchers from 60 to 90% of bees in USA have disappeared, and the percentage is 40% for Canada. The problem has spread to West Europe as well. 
Prof. Nikolay Simeonov from the Sofia Apiculture Union, says that there are only few cases in Bulgaria, but there is no reason to neglect the problem. A team of Bulgarian scientists has developed a system for monitoring bees and their environment. For the purpose special devices with sensors should be installed directly into beehives.
“Bee keeping is faced with major difficulties across the world,” he explains. “Bees have been struck by diseases. Scientists have been asking the question how electromagnetic and radio waves affect them. Besides, some bee families have started to behave in a most bizarre way. Queen bees often disappear during fertilization; entire families leave the beehives. The reason is unknown. Thank God, in Bulgaria this phenomenon is still rare. Well, we are fully aware that we cannot hope that this process will bypass us. This has motivated us to work jointly with a team of scientists on an automated system that will deliver constant information about the condition of the bee family. Via a remote control the beekeeper will be able to monitor data inputs from different hives. The device will report on honey making, diseases and contamination with herbicides, on temperature, humidity and noise levels. Besides, this system provides effective ways of ecological monitoring. Data will be recorded for 20 years, so as to capture relevant trends.” 
In this ways bees can be used to judge about environmental pollution, Prof. Simeonov adds.
“A normal bee colony during the active season numbers 30 to 40,000 insects going to collect nectar, pollen and propolis from an area up to 40 sq. km. A bee carries out some 30-40 flights a day. In this way harmful substances in the air or on plants can easily get into the nectar, pollen and propolis, and even stick on bee wings. Then the bee takes all this into the hive. Here comes the function of the device that can measure what bees bring to the hive. So, this easily allows the control of the whole area that the bee colony visits. The Bulgarian device is quite innovative. In this sphere there is only one American patent developed before ours and financed by the US Marine. However, it is about using the bees’ keen sense of smell to detect explosives. Our research is mostly aimed at assisting apiculture and environmental protection,” Prof. Nikolay Simeonov concludes.