mass have beenkeeping honeybeesfor thousands of years , and they have used the same beekeeping technique for almost as long . apiculturist or apiarist willinspect the framesinside the hive , monitor the queen ’s behavior , arrest and process for mites , and ( if they ’re lucky ) collect dear when there is a surplus . While these methods are efficacious if everything is going right , there has n’t been much a apiculturist can check when everything goes incorrect .
teem , wasp attack and beehive larceny cause farmers thou of dollars in losses every twelvemonth . Honey bees , while not yet in risk of extinction , are also suffering world-wide losses in large part due to the use of herbicides and the constant threat of the varroa mite . These are just a few reasons why impudent devices have move into the mankind of beekeeping .
GPS - enabled smart devices and smart sensors will now monitor your urticaria without you needing to get to the lid . you may apply these impertinent machine to assess beehive health , improve beekeeping productiveness , and create healthier colonies .
They are also an excellent way to protect against hive larceny .
How do smart monitors work for beehives?
impudent beehive monitoring uses a variety of sensors and GPS devices to track and supervise your hives . With these devices you ’ll be able to keep a alert eye over your bees from an app on your earpiece .
Here ’s a quick look at what they can track .
Hive location
Honeybee hive larceny is arise in the United States . In many states bee are consider livestock , and the theft of a individual hive can be the farmer a lower limit of $ 500 .
With a GPS gimmick placed in your hive , you will cognise your hive is always veracious where you left it . These devices are helpful if your dimension is large and you have your beehive put in unlike locations . If the beehive is displace due to theft , you ’ll be able to trail it in real clock time and perchance reclaim it .
Hive health
Smart devices can also track the conditions inside the beehive . You ’ll be able-bodied to ‘ see ’ inside without have to start the beehive up at all , and they can track temperature , humidness , weighting and other environmental factors .
With a sensing element in your beehive , you ’ll cognise if you ’ve put it in an optimum locating or if it ’s face in a direction causes the beehive too much humidity or temperature alteration . You ’ll also bonk when it ’s time to seem inside , and that can save you from needing to afford it up too often .
Smart devices ca n’t forestall varroa mites . But they may be able to give you an indicant of infestation by monitoring your hive population or pass over to see if there is a sudden drop in hive health due to illness or attack .
Prevent bee swarming
There ’s nothing like head up out to what was a busy beehive and seeing it empty . In the past a granger had to make an educated guess as to whether the dependency had stream . Today , smart gadget can alert you to swarm conduct before it happens .
If you ’re monitor your beehive on a day - to - day basis and you notice potential pullulate behaviors , you may be able-bodied to forbid it by splitting it or adding frame or beehive boxes immediately .
What smart devices are available for beekeeping right now?
There are several overbold devices design to keep a watchful optic over your beehive , but not all are available at the retail level or in the U.S.
Gobuzzris a beehive monitoring system that uses detector and an app to provide you with instant notifications about changes to the temperature , free weight or humidity levels in your hive .
Beebotis another smart machine that ’s placed in the beehive . It will track temperature , humidness and even monitor the bee ’s buzzing for changes .
While these devices pop the question a lot of elaborate information on your beehive , if you ’d like a quick and gentle way to cross the positioning of your bee in the consequence of theft , some apiarist are using AppleAirtags . Airtags are not designed for employment with stock or pets , but if you add one to your beehive , you would always have it away the GPS location of your bee and may even be able to track them if they are on the move .
It ’s a little thing , but it could give you peace of mind knowing your bees are always where you leave them .
