A company specialising in insect conservation has installed a number of its innovative listening devices at Dyson Farming's Lincolnshire site.
Biodiversity experts AgriSound have installed special devices at Dyson Farming's Carrington site, to support the conservation of bees and other insects.
They combine acoustic technology and environmental sensors to monitor bee and pollinator populations remotely through an app available on any smart device.
The low cost monitoring systems have been developed by scientists to interpret nature’s noises to help maintain and maximise pollination on farms.
The Yorkshire-based technology firm has installed the devices at Dyson Farming’s industrial scale strawberry glass houses and across fields as part of its own biodiversity objectives.
As part of the trial, AgriSound will be working with Dyson Farming over the next few weeks to monitor the presence of bees and other pollinators on their site, with the view of expanding operations.
Edward Ford, technical agronomist of Dyson Farming, welcomed the project said: “We see farming as an investment back into the world’s natural assets and advanced methods of agriculture is the key to a sustainable future.
"These innovative devices installed at Carrington will act as a valuable tool for us to learn about the health of the environment in our greenhouses and fields for pollination, which remains a vital cog in helping our ecosystem thrive.
"We also look forward to contributing to the future development of this technology”.
AgriSound has recently completed the installation of a number of devices in Spain as part of a wide-ranging project with Innocent Drinks.
Casey Woodward, founder of AgriSound, said: “Implementing the monitoring technology will help us gain a good understanding of the health of pollinators on such big commercial landscapes.
“I have no doubt that this will be hugely beneficial in helping us understand the optimal setting for pollination in a farming environment.
“This is another exciting project we’re a part of and we’re looking forward to seeing the results and increasing awareness of the wider challenges facing biodiversity."
