Since the invention in 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 luxury to evolve slowly, beekeeping must deploy the newest technologies if it’s to operate facing growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use along with the spread of global pathogens.
Go into the “Smart Hive”
-a system of scientific bee care made to precisely monitor and manage conditions in hives. Where traditional beekeepers might visit each hive on a weekly or monthly basis, smart hives monitor colonies 24/7, and so can alert beekeepers on the requirement for intervention the moment a problem situation occurs.
“Until the advent 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 into the Internet of Things. When you can adjust your home’s heat, turn lights don and doff, see who’s for your entry way, all coming from a cell phone, why don't you perform same goes with beehives?”
Although many understand the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management can have significant effect on the conclusion of farmers, orchardists and commercial beekeepers-Wilson-Rich with his fantastic team at Best Bees is most encouraged by their effect on bee health. “In the U.S. we lose up to 50 % of our own bee colonies each and every year.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives allow for more precise monitoring and treatment, which can often mean a tremendous improvement in colony survival rates. That’s victory for anyone on the planet.”
The first smart hives to be removed utilize solar powered energy, micro-sensors and smart phone apps to evaluate conditions in hives and send reports to beekeepers’ phones about the conditions in every 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 an indication in the stop and start of nectar flow, alerting them to the call to feed (when weight is low) and harvest honey (when weight is high). Comparing weight across hives gives beekeepers a sense of the relative productivity of every colony. A remarkable drop in weight can advise that the colony has swarmed, or even the hive has become knocked over by animals.
Temperature. Monitoring hive temperature can alert beekeepers to dangerous conditions: excessive heat indicating the hive needs to be gone after a shady spot or ventilated; unusually low heat indicating the hive must be insulated or protected against cold winds.
Humidity. While honey production produces a humid environment in hives, excessive humidity, specially in the winter, can be quite a danger to colonies. Monitoring humidity levels allow for beekeepers are aware that moisture build-up is happening, indicating a need for better ventilation and water removal.
CO2 levels. While bees can tolerate greater numbers 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 into a quantity of dangerous situations: specific changes in sound patterns can often mean loosing a queen, swarming tendency, disease, or hive raiding.
Bee count. Counting the quantity of bees entering and leaving a hive can give beekeepers an illustration in the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this can indicate nectar flow, as well as the must relocate hives to easier areas.
Mite monitoring. Australian scientists are tinkering with a fresh gateway to hives that where bees entering hives are photographed and analyzed to determine if bees have grabbed mites while away from hive, alerting beekeepers of the must treat those hives to avoid mite infestation.
A number of the higher (and expensive) smart hives are designed 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 declare that a colony is preparing to swarm, automated hives can adjust hive conditions, preventing a swarm from occurring.
Mite treatment. When sensors indicate the presence of mites, automated hives can release anti-mite treatments for example formic acid. Some bee scientists are trying out CO2, allowing levels to climb high enough in hives to kill mites, although not high enough to endanger bees. Others work with 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 a great deal of honey, self-harvesting hives can split cells, allowing honey to empty out of specially engineered frames into containers under the hives, able to tap by beekeepers.
While smart hives are just starting out be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers in the industry already are exploring the next-gen of technology.
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