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 luxurious to evolve slowly, beekeeping must deploy the newest technologies if it’s to function in the face of growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use as well as the spread of worldwide 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 with a regular basis, smart hives monitor colonies 24/7, and so can alert beekeepers to the requirement for intervention when a difficulty situation occurs.

“Until the appearance of smart hives, beekeeping really was an analog 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’re able to adjust your home’s heat, turn lights on and off, see who’s your doorway, all coming from a smart phone, why not perform same goes with beehives?”

Although see the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management might have significant affect the bottom line of farmers, orchardists and commercial beekeepers-Wilson-Rich and his team at the best Bees is most encouraged by their impact on bee health. “In the U.S. we lose up to 50 % individuals bee colonies each and every year.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives accommodate more precise monitoring and treatment, and that could mean a significant improvement in colony survival rates. That’s victory for all in the world.”

The 1st smart hives to be sold utilize solar powered energy, micro-sensors and smartphone 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 many cases, bee count.

Weight. Monitoring hive weight gives beekeepers an indication of the start and stop of nectar flow, alerting these phones the call to feed (when weight is low) also to harvest honey (when weight is high). Comparing weight across hives gives beekeepers a feeling of the relative productivity of each one colony. A dramatic drop in weight can declare that the colony has swarmed, or even the hive may be knocked over by animals.

Temperature. Monitoring hive temperature can alert beekeepers to dangerous conditions: excessive heat indicating the hive ought to be transferred to a shady spot or ventilated; unusually low heat indicating the hive needs to be insulated or resistant to cold winds.

Humidity. While honey production creates a humid environment in hives, excessive humidity, especially in the winter, can be a danger to colonies. Monitoring humidity levels allow for beekeepers are aware that moisture build-up is happening, indicating an excuse 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 should ventilate hives.

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

Bee count. Counting the amount of bees entering and leaving a hive can provide beekeepers a sign in the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this could indicate nectar flow, and also the need to relocate hives to more fortunate areas.

Mite monitoring. Australian scientists are using a fresh gateway to hives that where bees entering hives are photographed and analyzed to discover if bees have grabbed mites while beyond your hive, alerting beekeepers in the need to treat those hives to prevent mite infestation.

Some of the higher (and costly) smart hives are built to automate high of standard beekeeping work. These can include environmental control, swarm prevention, mite treatment and honey harvesting.

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

Swarm prevention. When weight and acoustic monitoring declare that a colony is preparing to swarm, automated hives can transform hive conditions, preventing a swarm from occurring.

Mite treatment. When sensors indicate a good mites, automated hives can release anti-mite treatments such as formic acid. Some bee scientists are tinkering with CO2, allowing levels to climb enough in hives to kill mites, and not adequate to endanger bees. Others operate on a prototype of a hive “cocoon” that raises internal temperatures to 108 degrees, a level of heat that kills most varroa mites.

Feeding. When weight monitors indicate lower 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 away from specially designed frames into containers underneath the hives, willing to tap by beekeepers.

While smart hives are just beginning to be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers in the industry are actually exploring the next generation of technology.

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