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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 luxurious to evolve slowly, beekeeping must deploy the newest technologies if it’s to work industry by storm growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use as well as the spread of worldwide pathogens.

Enter the “Smart Hive”

-a system of scientific bee care built to precisely monitor and manage conditions in hives. Where traditional beekeepers might visit each hive on a regular basis, smart hives monitor colonies 24/7, and so can alert beekeepers for the requirement of intervention after a problem situation occurs.

“Until the arrival 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 products. When you can adjust your home’s heat, turn lights on / off, see who’s for your doorway, all from the cell phone, you will want to carry out the same with beehives?”

Although start to see the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management may have significant effect on the conclusion 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 in our bee colonies each year.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives allow for more precise monitoring and treatment, understanding that can often mean a substantial improvement in colony survival rates. That’s a win for anyone in the world.”

The 1st smart hives to be removed utilize solar power, micro-sensors and smartphone apps to monitor conditions in hives and send reports to beekeepers’ phones on the conditions in every 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 with the start and stop of nectar flow, alerting these to the call 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 one colony. A remarkable drop in weight can suggest that the colony has swarmed, or the hive has been knocked over by animals.

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

Humidity. While honey production produces a humid environment in hives, excessive humidity, mainly in the winter, could be a danger to colonies. Monitoring humidity levels can let beekeepers understand 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 must ventilate hives.

Acoustics. Acoustic monitoring within hives can alert beekeepers to some variety of dangerous situations: specific alterations in sound patterns can indicate the loss of a queen, swarming tendency, disease, or hive raiding.

Bee count. Counting the number of bees entering and leaving a hive will give beekeepers a signal from the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this may indicate nectar flow, and the should 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 picked up mites while away from hive, alerting beekeepers of the have to treat those hives to prevent mite infestation.

Many of the heightened (and dear) smart hives are designed to automate most 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 preparing to swarm, automated hives can adjust hive conditions, preventing a swarm from occurring.

Mite treatment. When sensors indicate the existence of mites, automated hives can release anti-mite treatments including formic acid. Some bee scientists are trying out CO2, allowing levels to climb adequate in hives to kill mites, but not adequate to endanger bees. Others operate over a prototype of the hive “cocoon” that raises internal temperatures to 108 degrees, a degree 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 good amount of honey, self-harvesting hives can split cells, allowing honey to empty beyond specially designed frames into containers under the hives, prepared to tap by beekeepers.

While smart hives are only beginning to be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers in the industry happen to be looking at the next-gen of technology.

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