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Application of Information Technologies in Precision Apiculture
E. Stalidzans, A. Zacepins, J. Meitalovs
Latvia University of Agriculture
Apiculture, widely known as beekeeping, is one of the agriculture’s sub directions, where Precision Agriculture (PA) methods can be successfully applied. Adaptation of PA methods and technics into Apiculture, as well as integrating information technologies into beekeeping process can change and improve the beekeepers understanding of bee behavior features. 
One of the objectives of Precision Apiculture (PApic) in the field of monitoring is to develop real time on-line tools to continuously monitor bees during their life and production using the automatic solutions, without exposing the bees to additional stress. The aim of these technical tools is not to replace but rather to support the beekeeper that always remains the crucial factor in good bee’s management.
Precision agriculture approach is adapted for beekeeping based on the temperature measurements above the nest of individual bee colonies all year round.
In passive wintering period it is important to mark such events as the death of the bee colony and have up to the date information about the state of the brood rearing process. In summer period it is important to detect the preswarming conditions of a bee colony. Practical application of PApic methods was developed and tested during winter and summer periods.
During the winter we have applied Precision methods to monitor the activity of bees inside each individual hive during the passive wintering period in a closed environment (honeybee wintering building), where it is possible to grant stable and convenient microclimate conditions for bees.
During the summer we are applied Precision methods to develop an automatic monitoring system in order to find out the features of microclimate changes in the beehive that would allow detecting the preswarming condition of the bee colony.
PApic offers new possibilities of collecting and analyzing data about bees in a continuous, real time and automatic way.
Keyword: Precision Apiculture, Temperature measurements, honey bee activity monitoring
E. Stalidzans    A. Zacepins    J. Meitalovs    Emerging Issues in Precision Agriculture (Energy, Biofuels, Climate Change)    Poster    2012
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