Newcastle-based start-up secures funding to stop the bee decline

A North East start-up company has secured funding to develop and commercialise a new technology that could help safeguard food crops threatened by the worldwide decline in bee populations.

Newcastle-based Arnia secured the investment from the Finance for Business North East Proof of Concept Fund – managed by Northstar Ventures – and will use it to carry out further research and development into how sophisticated monitoring devices can measure bee activity, monitor bee health and help beekeepers manage swarming.

The Finance for Business North East Proof of Concept Fund is backed by the European Investment Bank (EIB), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and regional development agency One North East (ONE).

The dwindling bee population is a crisis of global proportions, with bees alone responsible for pollinating one third of the food we eat.  Arnia’s founder, electronic engineer Dr Huw Evans said: “Crops such as almonds and apples are particularly dependent on bee pollination – and a population collapse could threaten the production of some of our favourite tipples and delicacies.  Every year, in places like California, almond farmers depend upon the bees performing during the very small window of opportunity when pollination can occur.

“Currently beekeepers, pollinators, farmers and food producers are dependent on someone donning protective clothing once a week and looking into the hives to try and assess the health of the colony and judging whether swarming is likely to occur.  Not only is this time-consuming but it is also highly disruptive for the bees.

“Arnia’s technology is essentially a small device which monitors audio frequency signals produced within the hive and sophisticated algorithms which identify patterns and changes in bee behaviour.  From that, we can uniquely supply an accurate prediction of colony swarming several weeks in advance providing beekeepers with ample time to effectively manage the swarm.

“Furthermore, preliminary results indicate that we have the ability to identify the presence of some of the most common factors that impact on the health of a colony, such as the Varroa destructor mite and the Nosema apis parasite. The technology will also help us to investigate the potential impact which mobile phone networks may or may not have on bees.”

Working closely with academic experts at Newcastle and Dundee Universities and the Scottish Beekeepers Association, the company is now beginning a large-scale field trial of its prototype systems at over 100 beehives throughout Scotland – in a project led by Dr Chris Connolly as part of the government backed ‘Insect Pollinators Initiative’. This project provides Arnia with an ideal opportunity to undertake a scientifically-controlled study that will provide valuable data and user feedback which will be used to optimise the final operation of its systems.

Arnia is also working closely with the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA).  Dr David Aston, Chair of the BBKA Technical and Environmental Committee said, “We have followed Dr Evans’ work and are interested not only in the swarm management applications of the technology he is developing, but also its potential applications into many other areas of the biology and health status of the honey bee, as an aid to beekeepers and also as a research tool.”

Dr Stephen Price, POC manager at Northstar, said: “Our investment will enable Arnia to continue the development of this technology and engage market research consultancy Think M to explore opportunities in the market to commercialise and expand its range of products.

“Arnia’s technology is backed by an experienced and enthusiastic team in Huw and his biologist wife Sandra.  Together they have the ideal technical and scientific background to deliver this solution, and are passionate beekeepers themselves. 

“They are responsibly developing a highly commercial solution to a clear and urgent problem. With the company’s unique capability, it has already made significant strides and it has the potential to become a high-profile business with a really positive regional impact.”