Since 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, Cau ong thong minh must deploy the most recent technologies if it’s to work in the face of growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use and 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 on a weekly or monthly basis, smart hives monitor colonies 24/7, and so can alert beekeepers for the requirement for intervention the moment a challenge situation occurs.
“Until the appearance 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 to the Internet of Things. If you possibly could adjust your home’s heat, turn lights on and off, see who’s for your front door, all from your mobile phone, you will want to perform the do i think the beehives?”
Even though many understand the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management may have significant affect the conclusion of farmers, orchardists and commercial beekeepers-Wilson-Rich and his awesome team at the best Bees is most encouraged by their impact on bee health. “In the U.S. we lose up to 50 % of our bee colonies every year.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives accommodate more precise monitoring and treatment, and that could mean a significant improvement in colony survival rates. That’s success for anyone on the planet.”
The initial smart hives to be released utilize solar energy, micro-sensors and smartphone apps to observe 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 in the start and stop of nectar flow, alerting these to the necessity to feed (when weight is low) and to harvest honey (when weight is high). Comparing weight across hives gives beekeepers feeling of the relative productivity of each one colony. An impressive stop by weight can declare 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 must be gone to live in a shady spot or ventilated; unusually low heat indicating the hive should be insulated or protected 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 can let beekeepers are aware that moisture build-up is occurring, indicating a need 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 on the have to ventilate hives.
Acoustics. Acoustic monitoring within hives can alert beekeepers to a quantity of dangerous situations: specific adjustments to sound patterns can often mean losing a queen, swarming tendency, disease, or hive raiding.
Bee count. Counting the number of bees entering and leaving a hive will give beekeepers an illustration with the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this may indicate nectar flow, along with the should 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 ascertain if bees have picked up mites while away from hive, alerting beekeepers of the need to treat those hives in order to avoid mite infestation.
Many of the more complex (and expensive) smart hives are made to automate much of standard Thung ong tu chay mat. These may 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 presence of mites, automated hives can release anti-mite treatments including formic acid. Some bee scientists are experimenting with CO2, allowing levels to climb enough in hives to kill mites, and not high enough to endanger bees. Others operate on the 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 empty away from engineered frames into containers beneath the hives, willing to tap by beekeepers.
While smart hives are just starting to be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers in the marketplace already are studying the next-gen of technology.
Thung Ong Thong Minh 
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