BEE HERO TOTHE RESCUE

Honeybees pollinate crops, but what happens when there simply aren’t enough local bees? Can you bring in more? Is it healthy to move hives? The Internet of Things (IoT) can help beekeepers to manage their hives better using BeeHero, a smart IoT device on the top bar of a hive frame that measures temperature, humidity and sound via sensors. All the data is sent to BeeHero’s cloud and, using machine-learning algorithms, the data is analysed and compared to a bigger database.

In its early stages, BeeHero collected data from 10 hives; it now works with more than 20 000. It’s so highly regarded, because instead of delivering endless streams of raw data to a beekeeper, it provides usable insights and alerts, such as if a queen is missing or if a hive is about to storm.

‘Not only does this keep hives healthy and strong, but it also helps beekeepers to manage their operational costs,’ explains Itai Kanot, co-founder and COO of BeeHero. ‘We work with commercial beekeepers running pollination contracts. BeeHero was originally made for beekeepers, but it also means we can help beekeepers to provide better pollination services to farmers.’

How’s that for precision pollination!