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Optimizing Convolutional Neural Networks for Identifying Invasive Pollinator Apis Mellifera and Finding a Ligand drug to Protect California's Biodiversity

In North America, there are many diverse species of native bees crucial for the environment, who are the primary pollinators of most native floral species. The Californian agriculture industry imports European honeybees (Apis Mellifera) primarily for pollinating almonds. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the unintended consequence of disrupting the native ecosystem and threatening many native bee species as they are outcompeted for food. Our first step for protecting the native species is identification with the use of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to differentiate common native bee species from invasive ones. Removing invasive colonies efficiently without harming native species is difficult as pesticides cause myriad diseases in native species. Our approach seeks to prevent the formation of new queens, causing the colony's collapse. Workers secrete royal jelly, a substance that causes fertility and longevity; it is fed to future honeybee queens. Targeting the production of this substance is safe as no native species use it; small organic molecules (ligands) prevent the proteins Apisimin and MRJP1 from combining and producing an oligomer used to form the substance. Ideal ligands bind to only one of these proteins preventing them from joining together: they have a high affinity for one receptor and a significantly lower affinity for the other. We optimized the CNN to provide a framework for creating Machine Learning models that excel at differentiating between subspecies of insects by measuring the effects of image alteration and class grouping on model performance. The CNN is able to achieve an accuracy of 82% in differentiating between invasive and native bee species; 3 ligands have been identified as effective. Our new approach offers a promising solution to curb the spread of invasive bees within California through an identification and neutralization method.

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