Thung Ong Thong Minh

Considering that the invention with the wooden beehive 150+ in years 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, Thung ong tu chay mat must deploy the most up-to-date technologies if it’s to perform when confronted with growing habitat loss, pollution, pesticide use and also the spread of worldwide pathogens.

Go into 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 the regular basis, smart hives monitor colonies 24/7, therefore can alert beekeepers to the requirement for intervention as soon as a challenge situation occurs.

“Until the advent 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 in to the Internet of Things. If you're able to adjust your home’s heat, turn lights off and on, see who’s at your doorway, all from the mobile phone, why not carry out the same with beehives?”

Although understand the economic potential of smart hives-more precise pollinator management can have significant affect the bottom line 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 up to 50 % individuals bee colonies annually.“ Says Wilson-Rich. “Smart hives accommodate more precise monitoring and treatment, which could mean a tremendous improvement in colony survival rates. That’s victory for everybody on this planet.”

The first smart hives to be removed utilize solar powered energy, micro-sensors and mobile phone apps to watch conditions in hives and send reports to beekeepers’ phones about the conditions in every hive. Most smart hive systems include monitors that measure hive weight, temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, acoustics and even, bee count.

Weight. Monitoring hive weight gives beekeepers a sign with the stop and start of nectar flow, alerting them to the requirement to feed (when weight is low) and also to 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 claim that the colony has swarmed, or 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 transferred to a shady spot or ventilated; unusually low heat indicating the hive needs to be insulated or protected against cold winds.

Humidity. While honey production generates a humid environment in hives, excessive humidity, especially in the winter, can be a danger to colonies. Monitoring humidity levels can let beekeepers realize that moisture build-up is going on, indicating a need for better ventilation and water removal.

CO2 levels. While bees can tolerate much higher degrees 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 into a quantity of dangerous situations: specific modifications in sound patterns can often mean the losing of a queen, swarming tendency, disease, or hive raiding.

Bee count. Counting the volume of bees entering and leaving a hive can give beekeepers a sign from the size and health of colonies. For commercial beekeepers this will indicate nectar flow, and also the need to relocate hives to easier areas.

Mite monitoring. Australian scientists are experimenting with a brand 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 with the need to treat those hives to prevent mite infestation.

Some of the more complex (and dear) smart hives are made to automate much of standard Cau ong thong minh. These range from 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 declare 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 such as formic acid. Some bee scientists are trying out CO2, allowing levels to climb enough in hives to kill mites, however, not adequate to endanger bees. Others are working 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 loads of honey, self-harvesting hives can split cells, allowing honey to drain out of specially designed frames into containers underneath the hives, ready to tap by beekeepers.

While smart hives are simply beginning to be adopted by beekeepers, forward thinkers on the market are already exploring the next-gen of technology.