Chinese researchers at Beijing Institute of Technology did develop a 74-milligram device capable of influencing bee behavior through electrical stimulation, achieving up to 90% directional control in laboratory tests. However ...
... The device does not control the bee's brain or consciousness. It stimulates sensory organs like antennae and eyes, not higher-order brain regions. The technology requires wired-power connections, making autonomous surveillance missions currently impossible.
In July 2025, a rumor spread on social media claiming that
For instance, a Snopes reader contacted us to ask: "Can you please fact check the Facebook page about China engineering brain control devices for bees? This is beyond scary if true. This tech in the wrong hands and its implications in terrorism is horrifying to imagine."
(The Brain Maze/Facebook)
The July 14 Facebook post (archived) in question read:
Scientists at the Beijing Institute of Technology have developed the world's lightest brain chip designed for insects, weighing only 74 milligrams — lighter than the nectar loads bees typically carry. This groundbreaking device enables direct mind control of honeybees by sending electrical signals into their brains through three microscopic needles. Once attached to a bee's back, the chip allows researchers to command the insect's flight path with remarkable precision — achieving directional control accuracy rates of up to 90% during testing.
The post continued to describe potential military reconnaissance and search-and-rescue applications, noting that previous attempts used heavier chips that quickly exhausted insects. It acknowledged current limitations including power constraints, while also suggesting that refined versions could deploy "fleets of mind-controlled insects" for defense operations.
The post had gained over 32,000 reactions as of this writing. Similar claims appeared on X (archived), Reddit (archived) and Instagram (archived).
Claims that Chinese scientists had created controllable cyborg bees were
The research was conducted by Professor Zhao Jieliang's team at Beijing Institute of Technology. They developed what they described as the world's lightest insect brain controller, according to a paper, titled, "Insect Trajectory Modulation Technology Based on Electrical Stimulation of Sensory Organs" published in the Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering.
Snopes reached out to Zhao's team for comment but did not receive a response as of this publication.
According to the paper — which was confirmed by a South China Morning Post article (archived) and provided directly to Snopes by the SCMP reporter — the 74 milligram, backpack-like device:
- Stimulates bee sensory organs — specifically the optic lobes (visual-processing areas), not the brain directly
- Uses three electrodes — two working electrodes placed in bilateral optic lobes and one ground electrode
- Requires wired power — bees in tests were connected to external power sources via thin copper wires to reduce weight
- Limited to walking bees — experiments were conducted on bees crawling on flat surfaces, not autonomous flight
- Battery too heavy for flight — the complete system with battery weighs 674 milligrams, far too heavy for bee flight (bees typically weigh around 100mg)
What the research actually showed
The social media posts mischaracterized both how the device works and its current capabilities,
It's not "mind control." The device stimulates the optic lobes — brain regions that process visual information — to trigger behavioral responses similar to natural visual stimuli rather than controlling consciousness.
It's not autonomous. When researchers tested the system with its intended battery, the total weight (674 mg) would be nearly seven times heavier than a typical bee (around 100 mg). The experiments required bees to be tethered to external power sources.
Limited to ground movement. The experiments involved bees walking on flat surfaces with directional markings, not autonomous flight control.
In sum …
Chinese researchers have developed a 74-milligram device that can influence bee behavior in laboratory conditions, but claims about "mind control" and surveillance swarms were exaggerated online.
The technology currently works only with tethered bees in controlled settings, not autonomous flight. The complete system with battery (674 mg) is too heavy for bees to carry, making military surveillance applications currently impossible.
The researchers acknowledged potential military uses including "high-stealth reconnaissance, precision strikes and other military operations," but these remain theoretical, given the technical limitations that prevent autonomous operation.