Since the invention from the wooden beehive 150+ years back, 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 most up-to-date technologies if it’s to function industry by storm growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use and also the spread of global 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, therefore can alert beekeepers for the need for intervention when an issue situation occurs.

“Until the advent of smart hives, beekeeping was really an analog process.” Says our founder and Chief Science Officer, Dr. Noah Wilson-Rich. “With technology we’re bringing bees into the Internet of Things. If you possibly could adjust your home’s heat, turn lights on / off, see who’s at your front door, all from your cell phone, why don’t you perform the in final summary is beehives?”

Although many understand the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management may have significant impact on the bottom line of farmers, orchardists and commercial beekeepers-Wilson-Rich and his awesome team at Best Bees is most encouraged by their impact on bee health. “In the U.S. we lose almost half of our own bee colonies each and every year.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives permit more precise monitoring and treatment, and that can often mean a tremendous improvement in colony survival rates. That’s victory for anyone on this planet.”

The 1st smart hives to be released utilize solar powered energy, micro-sensors and cell phone apps to monitor conditions in hives and send reports to beekeepers’ phones on the conditions in each hive. Most smart hive systems include monitors that measure hive weight, temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, acoustics and perhaps, bee count.

Weight. Monitoring hive weight gives beekeepers a sign with the start and stop of nectar flow, alerting the crooks to the necessity to feed (when weight is low) also to harvest honey (when weight is high). Comparing weight across hives gives beekeepers feeling of the relative productivity of every colony. A remarkable stop by weight can declare that the colony has swarmed, or hive continues to be knocked over by animals.

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

Humidity. While honey production makes a humid environment in hives, excessive humidity, especially in the winter, is usually a danger to colonies. Monitoring humidity levels let beekeepers are aware that moisture build-up is happening, indicating any excuses for better ventilation and water removal.

CO2 levels. While bees can tolerate higher levels of CO2 than humans, excessive levels can kill them. Monitoring CO2 levels can alert beekeepers for the must ventilate hives.

Acoustics. Acoustic monitoring within hives can alert beekeepers with a variety of dangerous situations: specific modifications in sound patterns can often mean the loss of a queen, swarming tendency, disease, or hive raiding.

Bee count. Counting the quantity of bees entering and leaving a hive may give beekeepers an illustration from the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this could indicate nectar flow, and also the have to relocate hives to more fortunate areas.

Mite monitoring. Australian scientists are tinkering with a new gateway to hives that where bees entering hives are photographed and analyzed to find out if bees have picked up mites while away from hive, alerting beekeepers in the have to treat those hives to avoid mite infestation.

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

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

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

Mite treatment. When sensors indicate the use of mites, automated hives can release anti-mite treatments such as formic acid. Some bee scientists are using CO2, allowing levels to climb high enough in hives to kill mites, however, not sufficient to endanger bees. Others will work over a prototype of a hive “cocoon” that raises internal temperatures to 108 degrees, a degree 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 loads of honey, self-harvesting hives can split cells, allowing honey to empty from specifically created frames into containers underneath the hives, ready to tap by beekeepers.

While smart hives are just starting to be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers in the marketplace are already looking at the next-gen of technology.

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