Advanced sensors and artificial intelligence monitor the condition of bees and prevent hive collapse in real time.
By Guy Britzman, Zavit – Science and Environmental News Agency
The honey bees They are one of the key factors that drive the ecosystem. They are responsible for pollinating many agricultural crops, And a third of the food we consume depends directly on their activity. In recent years, bee populations have been in serious decline, and the phenomenon of "hive collapse" threatens their existence. In 2023 alone, mortality About 50 percent of the number of beehives in the United States, and similar trends have been observed in other countries. Technology that monitors hive health in real time could be a game changer.
Pollination is in danger
The phenomenon of beehive collapse has been a global concern for about 20 years. Honeybees are disappearing from hives at an unprecedented rate, directly affecting the stability of the ecosystem, agricultural production and food prices. The value of their pollination is estimated to be About 550 billion dollars per year, and any damage to their population directly affects food production worldwide. "When pollination is compromised, all of agriculture is in danger. Farmers report a lack of pollination services and, as a result, a decline in crops that limits our nutritional diversity," explains Prof. Sharon Shapir of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University.
"There are a number of factors that are leading to the collapse of bee populations: increasing use of pesticides, extreme climate change, loss of natural habitats and the spread of parasites such as the Varroa mite," he says. The climate crisis is exacerbating the phenomenon because temperature fluctuations, lack of rainfall and extreme heat Affect the bees' food sources and cause them to weaken. "The problem is that hive collapse is not something that is easy to see in advance, and most beekeepers discover it when the hive is already empty - the bees simply disappear, and they have no immediate explanation for why it happened," explains Shapir. Early identification of hive weakening will make it possible to prevent hive collapse through appropriate treatment such as feeding the bees, providing an available water supply near the hive, treating diseases and parasites, and more.
When technology joins the hive
Israel has become one of the leading countries in bee health monitoring technologies, with groundbreaking startups offering advanced solutions to improve pollination efficiency and protect hives. BeeHero is one of the innovative companies in the field. It develops smart sensors that are installed in hives and monitor critical metrics such as temperature, humidity, and vibrations (such as buzzing) in real time, indicating bee activity. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, BeeHero's system detects unusual changes and provides alerts to beekeepers so they can prevent colony collapse and improve pollination output.
Another Israeli company, Beewise, has developed an autonomous hive management system – Beewise SmartHive. This is a smart hive that is able to identify problems in the hive and treat them without the need for manual intervention. The system includes agricultural robots that can check the condition of the bees, apply treatments in case of diseases or parasites, and maintain optimal conditions in the hive. Beewise’s smart solution helps beekeepers manage thousands of hives efficiently, reduce bee mortality rates and maintain the ecosystem essential for pollination.
According to Shapir, these technologies could change the way beekeeping works in the future. “BeeHero and Beewise innovations allow beekeepers to manage their hives in a precise and data-driven way,” he explains. “These types of technologies won’t solve all of bee problems, but they can certainly be a significant tool in managing hives and reducing losses. This is an important step in the fight to save the world’s pollinators,” says Shapir.
Forecasting is improving – and the chance of saving hives is increasing
The issue is not only of interest to Israeli companies. A research team from Carnegie Mellon University in Philadelphia and the University of California, Riverside, has developed an innovative system that combines sensors, artificial intelligence And advanced algorithms to identify signs of hive collapse in advance and provide beekeepers with time and tools to deal with the problem. "The idea is simple but smart - bees know how to regulate the temperature of the hive precisely, so if you see that the temperature is starting to deviate from the normal range, it is the first sign that something is wrong," explains Shafir. The sensors in the system, called EBV+ (Electronic Bee-Veterinarian Plus), are sensitive sensors located inside and outside the hive. They continuously measure vital environmental data such as temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels. This data directly affects the health of the bees and the stability of the hive. The data that is collected is transmitted to a smart algorithmic system that analyzes the information and compares it to patterns of healthy hives.
When the system detects a significant deviation from expected values, it sends an immediate alert to beekeepers that an unusual change has been observed that may indicate a developing problem such as disease, food shortage, parasite outbreak or extreme environmental conditions. "There is a tendency to think of hive collapse as something that happens all at once, but in reality it is a gradual process that develops over time, and only through continuous monitoring and smart analysis of the data can it be identified in advance and acted upon – before it is too late," explains Shapir.
One of the new system’s impressive achievements is its accuracy in detecting hive collapses before they actually happen. The study showed that the EBV+ system is 72 percent more accurate than traditional forecasting methods – which relied mostly on external data such as weather and general pollination patterns. “The ability to detect a collapse before it happens is critical, and the system gives beekeepers a significant advantage; instead of discovering the problem too late, they can act immediately,” he explains.
According to the study, in the near future, EBV+'s capabilities could be expanded to detect bee diseases, the presence of parasites, and even unusual behavioral changes. The new technology represents real hope for preserving the world's bee population. With more accurate predictions, real-time monitoring, and early warnings, it appears to be a powerful tool. "The ability to detect early signs of hive collapse and address problems in real time is a game-changer for beekeeping and global agriculture," concludes Shapir.
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