Because 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 posh to evolve slowly, beekeeping must deploy the most recent technologies if it’s to work industry by storm growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use and also 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, and so can alert beekeepers to the requirement of intervention after a difficulty situation occurs.
“Until the advent of smart hives, beekeeping was really a mechanical process.” Says our founder and Chief Science Officer, Dr. Noah Wilson-Rich. “With technology we’re bringing bees into the Internet of products. If you can adjust your home’s heat, turn lights off and on, see who’s for your entry way, all from your smartphone, why not perform the same with beehives?”
Although many start to see the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management might have significant effect on the conclusion of farmers, orchardists and commercial beekeepers-Wilson-Rich and his team at Best Bees is most encouraged by their affect bee health. “In the U.S. we lose up to 50 % in our bee colonies each and every year.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives accommodate more precise monitoring and treatment, knowning that could mean an important improvement in colony survival rates. That’s a win for anyone in the world.”
The 1st smart hives to be released utilize solar powered energy, micro-sensors and smart phone apps to monitor 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 perhaps, bee count.
Weight. Monitoring hive weight gives beekeepers an indication from the start and stop of nectar flow, alerting them to the need to feed (when weight is low) and 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 advise 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 gone after a shady spot or ventilated; unusually low heat indicating the hive must be insulated or resistant to cold winds.
Humidity. While honey production creates a humid environment in hives, excessive humidity, mainly in the winter, could be a danger to colonies. Monitoring humidity levels allow beekeepers are aware that moisture build-up is happening, indicating an excuse for better ventilation and water removal.
CO2 levels. While bees can tolerate better levels 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 adjustments to sound patterns can often mean the losing of a queen, swarming tendency, disease, or hive raiding.
Bee count. Counting the number of bees entering and leaving a hive can provide beekeepers an illustration from the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this may indicate nectar flow, and the should relocate hives to more productive areas.
Mite monitoring. Australian scientists are using a new gateway to hives that where bees entering hives are photographed and analyzed to determine if bees have picked up mites while away from hive, alerting beekeepers of the must treat those hives in order to avoid mite infestation.
A number of the more complex (and costly) smart hives are designed 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 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 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 existence of mites, automated hives can release anti-mite treatments like formic acid. Some bee scientists are experimenting with CO2, allowing levels to climb sufficient in hives to kill mites, but not adequate to endanger bees. Others will work over a prototype of your hive “cocoon” that raises internal temperatures to 108 degrees, that 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 empty from engineered frames into containers underneath the hives, willing to tap by beekeepers.
While smart hives are only starting out be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers in the market are already going through the next generation of technology.
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