Ploughing: Sensor monitored hives helping to save the bees

Chloe O'Connor, Cork, and Eoghan Stanton, Galway, of Apis Protect showing a monitor for science-driven healthy bees in the Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships, Ratheniska, Co Laois. Picture: Dan Linehan

One new gadget on display at this year’s National Ploughing Championships is allowing beekeepers to use precision technology to better manage their hives while disturbing the colony less.

Chloe O’Connor from Blarney, Co Cork, of ApisProtect, explained: “Basically, you screw it into the top of your hive and it monitors the sound, temperature and humidity inside.

“Usually beekeepers have to open their hives to check on them, and that disturbs the bees. Whereas, with this, you can log in through your browser, phone or computer and you can see that the sound is really low and know that you need to check it.

“Before you’d check a hive because you feel you need to whereas, now you’re checking them only when you really need to.”

Data scientist Eoghan Staunton from Galway explained that the system is currently being trialled in 10 hives in a research colony in Mallow, and explained he is currently working to develop artificial intelligence software to further develop the tool.

“It sends the data to a nice little dashboard. It almost acts like a beekeeping diary for inspections,” he said.

“You can add anything you see – you might have a swarm, open it up and see queen cells or you might have taken honey.

“If you start to see an interesting sound pattern where you know you’ve seen that pattern before, you can go back and see when you last saw that pattern and what events happened before and after and see if there are any trends.” 

Mr Staunton explained it could be important for ensuring the survival of some colonies through winter.

“If the temperature drops too low, the queen will stop laying, the colony will start to decline and if you allow your colony to get too small, it won’t last through winter,” he said.

“So this data will allow you to identify hives that need extra help, while for stronger hives you’re better not touching them at all. Without a monitor, you always have to open it to check, because the only way to know is to open them up.” 

ApisProtect is currently for sale in Ireland, and the UK and with a commercial monitor for sale in the US. The product costs €249 with a special show offer running this week on the stand.