Package : Anti-theft tracking device + Connected scale

A connected scale is installed underneath the hive since it measures the weight of the hive. Most manufacturers offer scales in the form of a tray that is placed under the hive.

Due to the dimensions of a hive (such as 50 x 43 cm), these devices can be heavy and cumbersome—not practical for moving, even if the beekeeper simply wishes to place the hive scale under another hive.

BeeGuard hive scales offer a completely different design: the scale or hive weight sensor comes in the form of an aluminum bar that slides under the hive. After simply tilting it, a wedge or other sensor will be placed on the opposite side to balance the hive.

Thanks to this design the weight of the hive scale is only 1 kg—not at all cumbersome. The beekeeper can easily place it in a vehicle. The hive scale is connectable, meaning it can transmit data to the Internet that the beekeeper can then consult via the application, whenever and wherever.

Most manufacturers incorporate a transmitter directly in the scale, whether it’s a Sigfox, LoRa, or GSM transmitter. This position on the scale—underneath the hive—presents a challenge for long-range transmitters, so these manufacturers often offer remote antennas to improve the signal. The beekeeper who chooses these systems will therefore have to adjust an antenna and adapt to a cable that will run between his hives and a stand. At BeeGuard, we chose to use a transmission relay. Instead, the hive scale uses 100% wireless sensor nodes, and the beekeeper can install as many scales as he wants without multiplying subscriptions.

The GPS hive scale and the connected weather station both offer transmitters. Throughout the day, the scale under the hive measures the weight once an hour and stores the data. Then at transmission times of the beekeeper’s choice, the hive alarm or the weather station retrieves all data and transmits it to BeeGuard’s servers. The beekeeper can find all the weight data of his hives and analyze them in the apiary management application to draw conclusions and decide on scheduling activities.

With manual weighing, beekeepers weighed before wintering and then after egg laying begins at the end of winter, in order to evaluate stocks. When the first connected scales appeared on the scene, beekeepers particularly used the weighing data to follow the departures, the strength, and the end of honey flows, the goal being to improve the management of transhumance.

Today, it’s become obvious that continuous, yearlong colony monitoring allows us to optimize transhumance during the honey flow period. It also allows us to detect feeding needs, the start of the work phase, small unsuspected honey flows—or even breaks in dynamics linked to sanitary problems or poisoning.

Linked to an apiary management application, the hive scale becomes an element of characterization which will enter in the traceability of the honey production that many beekeepers hope for.

There are several beehive scale manufacturers throughout the world, so to make the right choice, keep in mind that the scale itself doesn’t perform the beekeeper’s work. It’s simply a tool for quietly and remotely collecting hive data. Therefore, remember that the beekeepers themselves must install the scales under their hives—then move and transhume the hives and sensors, often at night.

Beekeepers should choose the scale that offers them the easiest installation, doesn’t require leveling, and fits easily in hive floors and stands. More basic scales require cabling (to the antenna, between scales, and even to a solar panel and transmitter). These are real constraints not only for the beekeepers themselves but also for the life of the equipment. Brush clearing and curious rodents and deer can easily damage these cables.

All this is why professional beekeepers will preferentially choose a wireless hive scale. The autonomy of the hive scales is a major maintenance factor. Most rechargeable systems don’t allow for operation throughout the whole season, and when one needs to be recharged... an apiary is commonly far from any source of electricity.

BeeGuard chose to provide non-rechargeable batteries with an autonomy of at least one year. This limits maintenance constraints related to hive scale autonomy. The communication vector is also an important point. Many European manufacturers have chosen newer low-speed networks such as Sigfox or LoRa. Despite their benefits, they still suffer from a lack of stability, and coverage may be imperfect. Beekeepers must check coverage of apiaries or choose a GSM LTE-M technology that allows them to retrieve data from their own phone.

Finally, the hive scale is not the only source of data that’s important for beekeepers to perfectly understand from anywhere how their hives are performing. Beekeepers may need to secure their hives with a GPS lock or measure the temperature of the brood. They need to know the local weather conditions the bees are experiencing to interpret weight curves. Finally, they’ll probably need to synchronize all the collected data with their breeding register. Beekeepers can therefore choose between using different manufacturers for all the functions he needs or choose a complete Decision Support Tool sensor + software. The BeeGuard system is scalable and includes several types of devices: A GPS anti-theft device which gives the internal temperature of the brood and the tracing of the routes in case of theft or transhumance.

The hive scale, (weight sensors) detects the honey flow and the weight variations of the hive. The weather station gives the local weather context and allows the beekeeper to act accordingly. A digital breeding register, then, helps beekeepers better organize their work by allowing them to keep all the data and the actions carried out on all their apiaries.

A connected hive scale can be purchased by mail order.

Manufacturers detail their service on their website, and beekeepers can then either buy online or order. The most famous scale manufacturers exhibit and take orders at national and international conferences.

Informed beekeepers must be sure to evaluate each manufacturer by level of service, scale innovation, and ability to withstand the elements and a hive load of up to 150 kg.

Beekeepers should have the ability to call the manufacturer, ask for advice, or simply request maintenance if needed. BeeGuard offers remote sales, so our customers can contact the sales or support department directly by phone, email, or the contact form on the website at no charge, in order to obtain a personalized quote or assistance.

Using connected scales in beekeeping allows you to track changes in hive weight remotely between visits— anytime, anywhere. Connected hive scales are composed of weight sensors placed under the hive and a transmitter that acts as a gateway to collect all the data from the sensors on the apiary and internet. By analyzing the weight variation, beekeepers can make virtual visits of all outfitted hives without even setting foot outside. The hive scale allows beekeepers to characterize honey flow (the time of nectarification of flowers). Beekeepers must have all harvesting elements in place from moment honey starts to flow. Otherwise, they’ll lose some of their harvest.

The volume and duration of honey flow varies greatly depending on the plants or food source, the terrain’s agronomic qualities, past and present weather, and the performance and state of health or maturity of the bee swarm. All this becomes very complex, and no model exists to characterize all that’s happening. Hive scales allow beekeepers to measure the reality of hive performance. This is called the foraging yield. Thanks to connected hive scales, beekeepers can sync their trips with what’s really happening in the field. When the honey’s gushing, he can double or triple the honey super collections. Slow or weak honey flow? Fudge—no need to budge. Toward the end of the honey flow, the beekeeper will be better placed to harvest and oversee the transhumance.

Connected hive scales aren’t just useful during the honey flow period. Beekeepers will be able to follow the consumption of the reserves. In the event of a lean period, the beekeeper must intervene so his bees don’t die off from hunger. As always, the options are feeding or transhumance.

Easy to install

Light and miniaturized, connected hive scales are designed to meet the constraints of beekeepers: able to be relocated easily from one hive to another.  Completely wireless. No need for solar panels. Beekeepers can install connected scales in a matter of minutes, directly under the hive. In the most basic configuration, the beekeeper simply tilts the hive—no need to remove it from the stand—and slides the bar under one side and a wedge under the other.  Mounting is possible in front, behind, and on the sides depending on your stands and the hive board. The transmitter (GPS anti-theft or weather station) automatically detects the connected hive scales in the apiary.

Sturdy and professional

Sturdy and professional, the connected hive scale has an antioxidant aluminum structure and industrial-strength weight sensors. The connected hive scale has been designed for professionals and meets the different expectations or beekeeping practices.   In a single weighing bar version, the connected hive scale can be economical. The apiary management application indicates the weight equivalent to the entire hive by multiplying the measurement by two. This is the most common configuration as the beekeeper checks the data at various times to study trends.  In the two-bar version, connected hive scales under one and the same hive can prove more accurate. The apiary management application indicates the weight of the hive by adding each sensor.  Connected hive scales don’t typically require any regular maintenance during the season. They don’t need to be recharged. The scale uses high performance batteries that allow it to work all season and even more following the conditions of one to two years without replacement. Changing the batteries requires no tools and only a few minutes.

Modular and scalable

The connected scale can equip several hives to analyze counter measurements. A honey flow is available for all the hives in the area so it would be abnormal and alarming to measure a downward trend at the same time as an upward trend.  A single transmitter on the apiary will be able to manage all the scales of the apiary. This mutualization of the transmitter is an advantage to be able to evolve the equipment of its apiaries, without multiplying the costs of the transmitters.   The beekeeper chooses the hive scale according to his needs and the level of mechanization of his farm: either in the single hive version (up to 150 kg weighed), or in the pallet version (up to 600 kg weighed).