Evaluation of the honey bee colonies weight gain during the intensive foraging period
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Kuupäev
2022
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Kirjastaja
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Abstrakt
Beekeeping in Latvia has a long tradition and it is a classical branch of agriculture. In
Latvia, there is no traditional beekeeping region, and beekeeping is performed in all regions.
Honey yield is influenced by various factors - variety of crops (nectar plants) around the apiary,
man-made changes in land/forests (deforestation), climate change, beekeepers’ actions, etc.
Application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the field of beekeeping can
bring benefits to the beekeepers. To be more specific, continuous remote monitoring of certain
bee colony parameters can improve beekeeper’s apiary management, by informing timely about
the nectar flow (or even provide information on bee colony states, e.g., swarming). In such a way,
beekeepers can plan their next actions - prepare supers or even choose to move the apiary to a
different geographical location. Within this research, weight gain of the ten honey bee colonies
was remotely monitored and analysed during two-week period at the beginning of the summer
2021 in Vecauce, Latvia, using the precision beekeeping approach. This monitoring period
corresponded to intensive flowering of the winter rapeseed and field beans. Colonies were
equipped with the automatic scales. In addition, colony and environmental temperature was
monitored. Measurements were taken every thirty minutes. Analysing the obtained data, weight
increase can be observed in all colonies, from 17 to 48 kg. As well, based on weight data,
swarming event can be identified. Constant monitoring of weight change can also help to identify
daily patterns in honey bee activity.
Kirjeldus
Received: March 5th, 2022 ; Accepted: April 1st, 2022 ; Published: April 13th, 2022 ; Correspondence: aleksejs.zacepins@llu.lv
Märksõnad
precision beekeeping, weight monitoring, foraging activity, honey bees, winter rapeseed, field beans, articles