AUTOMATIC MICROCLIMATE CONTROLLED BEEHIVE OBSERVATION SYSTEM

Abstract

Swarming of honey bee colonies is one of the factors that reduces profitability of beekeeping. Therefore recognition of preswarming condition of a bee colony is of industrial importance. The developed beehive observation system consists of 1) control subsystem, 2) measuring (temperature and relative humidity) subsystem and 3) video recording subsystem. Video monitoring of the front of the beehive (video camera 1) as well as environment (video camera 2) is switched on when untypical changes of microclimate are detected. That allows to find out reasons of each particular case of microclimate changes (swarming, direct sunshine, rain, strong wind, noise or other reasons).