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 recent technologies if it’s to perform in the face of growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use along with 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 weekly or monthly basis, smart hives monitor colonies 24/7, and so can alert beekeepers for the requirement for intervention when an issue situation occurs.

“Until the advent of smart hives, beekeeping really was a mechanical process.” Says our founder and Chief Science Officer, Dr. Noah Wilson-Rich. “With technology we’re bringing bees to the Internet of products. If you’re able to adjust your home’s heat, turn lights off and on, see who’s your doorway, all coming from a mobile phone, why don’t you carry out the same goes with beehives?”

Even though many see the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management may have significant influence on the bottom line of farmers, orchardists and commercial beekeepers-Wilson-Rich with his fantastic team at the best Bees is most encouraged by their influence on bee health. “In the U.S. we lose almost half of our bee colonies each year.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives enable more precise monitoring and treatment, understanding that can often mean a significant improvement in colony survival rates. That’s a victory for all on the planet.”

The very first smart hives to be removed utilize solar energy, micro-sensors and cell phone apps to watch 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 in some cases, bee count.

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

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

Humidity. While honey production makes a humid environment in hives, excessive humidity, specially in the winter, is usually a danger to colonies. Monitoring humidity levels allow for beekeepers are aware that moisture build-up is going on, indicating an excuse for better ventilation and water removal.

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

Acoustics. Acoustic monitoring within hives can alert beekeepers into a number 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 give beekeepers an illustration with the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this may indicate nectar flow, as well as the need to relocate hives to more productive areas.

Mite monitoring. Australian scientists are trying out a whole new gateway to hives that where bees entering hives are photographed and analyzed to determine if bees have found mites while away from hive, alerting beekeepers with the should treat those hives in order to avoid mite infestation.

A few of the more advanced (and expensive) smart hives are made to automate most of standard beekeeping work. These may 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 for example formic acid. Some bee scientists are using CO2, allowing levels to climb high enough in hives to kill mites, but not sufficient to endanger bees. Others are working with 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 ‘abnormal’ amounts of honey, automated hives can release stores of sugar water.

Honey harvesting. When weight levels indicate a good amount of honey, self-harvesting hives can split cells, allowing honey to drain away from specially designed frames into containers beneath the hives, able to tap by beekeepers.

While smart hives are only start to be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers on the market are actually exploring the next generation of technology.

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