Since the invention with 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 latest technologies if it’s to function facing growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use along with the spread of world pathogens.

Go into 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, therefore can alert beekeepers on the requirement for intervention after a problem situation occurs.

“Until the arrival 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 in the Internet of Things. If you possibly could adjust your home’s heat, turn lights don and doff, see who’s at the entry way, all from the mobile phone, you will want to carry out the same goes with beehives?”

Even though many see the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management can have significant affect the conclusion of farmers, orchardists and commercial beekeepers-Wilson-Rich with his fantastic team at Best Bees is most encouraged by their impact on bee health. “In the U.S. we lose nearly half of our own bee colonies each and every year.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives accommodate more precise monitoring and treatment, which can often mean a tremendous improvement in colony survival rates. That’s victory for everybody in the world.”

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

Weight. Monitoring hive weight gives beekeepers an indication with the start and stop of nectar flow, alerting the crooks 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 every colony. A spectacular stop by weight can advise that the colony has swarmed, or perhaps 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 should be insulated or shielded from cold winds.

Humidity. While honey production makes a humid environment in hives, excessive humidity, specially in the winter, could be a danger to colonies. Monitoring humidity levels let beekeepers understand that moisture build-up is going on, indicating an excuse 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 to the must ventilate hives.

Acoustics. Acoustic monitoring within hives can alert beekeepers to some amount of dangerous situations: specific changes in sound patterns could mean the losing of a queen, swarming tendency, disease, or hive raiding.

Bee count. Counting the volume of bees entering and leaving a hive may give beekeepers an indication in the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this can indicate nectar flow, and the need to relocate hives to more productive 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 beyond your hive, alerting beekeepers in the should treat those hives to avoid mite infestation.

A few of the higher (and expensive) smart hives are made to automate a lot of standard beekeeping work. These range from environmental control, swarm prevention, mite treatment and honey harvesting.

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

Swarm prevention. When weight and acoustic monitoring claim that a colony is getting ready 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 like formic acid. Some bee scientists are experimenting with CO2, allowing levels to climb enough in hives to kill mites, although not high enough to endanger bees. Others operate with 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 low 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 drain out of specifically created frames into containers under the hives, ready to tap by beekeepers.

While smart hives are just start to be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers in the industry are already going through the next generation of technology.
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