Introducing The BeeHero Healthy Hive Index:
Bees are the unsung hero of the agricultural industry, they pollinate the planet and power our food ecosystem. But bees have been dying in record numbers for years. So, we wanted to develop a data-driven tool that could measure the impact of bee-friendly orchards on the overall welfare of bees.
The impact of adverse weather in this year’s almond pollination.
This research is the work of BeeHero's Head of Scientific Strategy, George Clouston, and Head of Bio Research, Dr. Doreet Anvi. It provides detailed information and insight into the impact of California's recent adverse weather conditions on this year's almond pollination.
BeeHero Pollination Research Stations
California based BeeHero is rolling out a network of strategically placed Pollination Research Stations statewide, covering all major growing regions and cultivars. Each location will be equipped with specialist sensors to monitor the hives, local weather conditions and bloom progress.
Pollination affects the nutritional quality of almonds
While the benefits of bee pollination to almond crop yield are well understood, there is less data about the impact on nutritional quality. We review a study that found cross -pollinated almonds have a higher nutritional quality in terms of fat composition than self-pollinated almonds.
Is a pollination crisis looming for almond growers?
Every year the almond acreage expands, while the population of honeybees, beset by a host of health problems, struggles to keep pace. A recent demand and supply analysis has forecast that available hive capacity for almond pollination could be exceeded by 2023.
Do Self-Pollinating Almonds Still Need Bees?
A recent study has identified the true pollinator dependence of the self fertile Independence almond variety. Fruit set was 60% higher in bee pollinated trees, which translated into a 20% increase in yield and 10% increase in net profit.
Every Bee Counts!
Bee flight hours are widely used as a proxy for honey bee foraging activity during almond bloom. However, emerging sensor technology now enables the accurate counting of every bee, leaving and entering a hive! This article presents some fascinating data generated from the unique bee counter and explores its potential for predicting crop yields.
Planning almond pollination precisely
Advances in data analytics now make it possible to calculate individual almond orchards’ pollination needs more precisely. Our Pollination Planner combines data about the local environment, tree density, age, etc. with knowledge about bee foraging behavior to calculate the optimum pollination force for specific situations.
The Honey Bee Welfare Challenge
Honey bees are indispensable to agriculture. Therefore it seems natural to include them in the animal welfare debate. But can the more holistic approach to measure livestock well-being in other farming sectors be applied to honey bees? Smart hives equipped with sensors could provide the solution, providing new insights into honey bee health and welfare.
