Application of bee hive temperature measurements for recognition of bee colony state.

Rapid improvements in modern temperature measurement systems and information technologies overall led to a possibility for temperature data to be used to monitor individual biological objects within the whole biological system. Beekeeping is one of the agricultural sub directions where information technologies and precision agriculture methods can be used too. In the field of beekeeping temperature measurement system can be adapted for the individual bee hive monitoring and maintenance, substituting the traditional monitoring methods. The main objective of bee hives temperature measurements is to monitor and control bee behavior and activity using an individual access to objects. Bee hive temperature measurements can provide beekeeper with continuous, real time data about the state of the bee colony. The main activity parameter for bee colonies is temperature, higher the temperature more active is bees. Based on this parameter beekeepers can make important conclusions and if needed perform some additional actions. Mainly monitoring the bee colony temperature is needed to find out if colony is started the brood rearing process and in case of need to slow down this process, because too early start can lead to the death of the whole colony. Based on author achieved measurement results during the passive wintering period, while bees are kept in the specific wintering building, it can be concluded that it is possible to precisely find out the date, when the bee colony died and find out the dates of the potential start of the brood rearing process.