Because the invention with the wooden beehive 150+ in the past, there’ve been few innovations in beehive design. But that’s all changing now-at warp speed. Where other industries had the posh to evolve slowly, beekeeping must deploy the latest technologies if it’s to function in the face of growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use along with the spread of world pathogens.

Type in the “Smart Hive”

-a system of scientific bee care meant to precisely monitor and manage conditions in hives. Where traditional beekeepers might visit each hive over a regular basis, smart hives monitor colonies 24/7, so can alert beekeepers to the need for intervention when a problem situation occurs.

“Until the advent of smart hives, beekeeping was actually a mechanical process.” Says our founder and Chief Science Officer, Dr. Noah Wilson-Rich. “With technology we’re bringing bees in the Internet of products. If you possibly could adjust your home’s heat, turn lights off and on, see who’s for your front door, all from your cell phone, you will want to carry out the same with beehives?”

Although many begin to see the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management will surely have significant influence on the bottom line of farmers, orchardists and commercial beekeepers-Wilson-Rich and the team at Best Bees is most encouraged by their influence on bee health. “In the U.S. we lose up to 50 % individuals bee colonies annually.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives allow for more precise monitoring and treatment, which could mean a substantial improvement in colony survival rates. That’s victory for all in the world.”

The initial smart hives to be removed utilize solar power, micro-sensors and smart phone apps to evaluate conditions in hives and send reports to beekeepers’ phones about the conditions in each hive. Most smart hive systems include monitors that measure hive weight, temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, acoustics and in some cases, bee count.

Weight. Monitoring hive weight gives beekeepers an illustration in the stop and start of nectar flow, alerting these phones the requirement to feed (when weight is low) and also to harvest honey (when weight is high). Comparing weight across hives gives beekeepers a sense the relative productivity of each and every colony. A spectacular drop in weight can claim that the colony has swarmed, or the hive has become knocked over by animals.

Temperature. Monitoring hive temperature can alert beekeepers to dangerous conditions: excessive heat indicating the hive should be gone to live in a shady spot or ventilated; unusually low heat indicating the hive must be insulated or resistant to cold winds.

Humidity. While honey production generates a humid environment in hives, excessive humidity, especially in the winter, could be a danger to colonies. Monitoring humidity levels allow for beekeepers know that moisture build-up is occurring, indicating the need for better ventilation and water removal.

CO2 levels. While bees can tolerate higher amounts of CO2 than humans, excessive levels can kill them. Monitoring CO2 levels can alert beekeepers on the need to ventilate hives.

Acoustics. Acoustic monitoring within hives can alert beekeepers with a quantity of dangerous situations: specific changes in sound patterns can indicate loosing a queen, swarming tendency, disease, or hive raiding.

Bee count. Counting the number of bees entering and leaving a hive can give beekeepers an indication with the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this will indicate nectar flow, as well as the should relocate hives to more productive areas.

Mite monitoring. Australian scientists are experimenting with a brand new gateway to hives that where bees entering hives are photographed and analyzed to determine if bees have acquired mites while beyond your hive, alerting beekeepers of the must treat those hives to prevent mite infestation.

Some of the more complex (and dear) smart hives are made to automate much of standard beekeeping work. These range from environmental control, swarm prevention, mite treatment and honey harvesting.

Environmental control. When data indicate a hive is just too warm, humid or has CO2 build-up, automated hives can self-ventilate, optimizing internal environmental conditions.

Swarm prevention. When weight and acoustic monitoring claim that a colony is getting ready to swarm, automated hives can adjust hive conditions, preventing a swarm from occurring.

Mite treatment. When sensors indicate the existence of mites, automated hives can release anti-mite treatments like formic acid. Some bee scientists are using CO2, allowing levels to climb high enough in hives to kill mites, but not adequate to endanger bees. Others operate over a prototype of your hive “cocoon” that raises internal temperatures to 108 degrees, a level of heat that kills most varroa mites.

Feeding. When weight monitors indicate low levels of honey, automated hives can release stores of sugar water.

Honey harvesting. When weight levels indicate an abundance of honey, self-harvesting hives can split cells, allowing honey to drain beyond specifically created frames into containers below the hives, able to tap by beekeepers.

While smart hives are simply beginning to be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers in the marketplace happen to be looking at the next generation of technology.

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