Can AI Help Save the Bees?

By: Maya L., Age 12, (Los Angeles, CA)

Last spring, our science teacher showed us a video about bees disappearing around the world. I had never really thought about bees before, except that they make honey and sometimes sting people. But the video said that one out of every three bites of food we eat depends on pollinators like bees. That surprised me.

I started wondering how scientists know if bee populations are going up or down. My mom told me that people use artificial intelligence to study animals now, so I decided to learn how that works. I found an online project where volunteers upload photos of bees, and computers help identify them by color and shape.

The AI looks at thousands of images to figure out which ones are honeybees, bumblebees, or other kinds. Then it helps scientists track where the bees are healthy and where they are disappearing. When I tried it myself, the AI was fast but sometimes wrong. It confused a bee with a fly because the wings looked similar. I learned that even smart systems can make mistakes when the data is messy or when the photos are not clear.

For my project, I made a slideshow to explain how AI could help protect bees. I talked about drones that can count beehives from the air and sensors that measure temperature and pollen in gardens. My favorite idea was using AI to predict which flowers bloom first so that people can plant gardens that feed bees all year.

“AI cannot save the bees on its own, but it can help people notice when they are in trouble.”

Working on this made me feel like science is not only for adults. Even at my age, I can help by paying attention, planting flowers, and asking questions about how technology can protect nature. If we can teach machines to care about bees, maybe we will remember to care too.