Implementation of multi-node temperature measurement system for bee colonies online monitoring

The Application of Information Technologies in Precision Apiculture (ITApic; www.itapic.eu) project has been funded within the ICT-AGRI 2012 call for transnational research projects. This project proposes implementation of precision agriculture technologies and methods in the beekeeping. Project main goal is to identify different states of the bee colony and prevent colony losses. This paper introduces multi-node temperature measurement system for bee colonies online monitoring. Authors developed multi node temperature measurement system for bee colony online monitoring consists of two parts: remote measurement nodes for real time bee colony temperature measurements and web server for measurement summarising and demonstration to the end users. Constant and real time temperature monitoring of the bee colonies can provide a beekeeper with actual and timely data and information to help identify various states of bee colonies: death, brood rearing, broodless state etc. Such online system can be used as a useful beekeeping tool to improve bee colony management and make it more efficient.