FloBuzz: A modular feeder system for automated aversive stimulation in free-flying bees

Understanding how environmental stressors affect pollinator behavior is essential for assessing ecosystem health. Automated flower and robotic feeder systems (AFRFSs) have transformed studies of pollinator foraging and learning, yet most remain reward-centric and cannot probe aversive learning under field conditions. Here, we present FloBuzz, a modular AFRFS that combines automated reward delivery with computer vision visit detection to trigger closed-loop electric shock stimulation in free-flying honey bees (Apis mellifera). The system consists of a 3D-printed feeder with a shock grid, a syringe pump with fluid level feedback, and a computer vision based shock module. In a replicated field proof-of-concept experiment, mean bee occupancy decreased with increasing stimulus voltage, demonstrating a measurable voltage-dependent deterrent response. These results validate the ability of FloBuzz to deliver automated, programmable aversive stimulation under outdoor conditions. Its modular architecture provides a flexible platform for future studies requiring controlled integration of appetitive and aversive stimuli in freely foraging bees.