AI in the Beehive

Beewise Technology Aims to Revive Pollinator Populations

Beewise is pulling away from the pack when it comes to smart hive technology options. The startup company is on a mission to revive bee colony populations by pairing robotics and artificial intelligence in their hive design. It's the first truly new design on the market with its capability to both collect data and respond to hive needs with minimal human labor required. 

Quick response time could be a game changer in the race to save pollinator numbers from plummeting any further. But, is reliance on technology a smart solution for this crucial component to secure food supplies? Any measure that keeps more bees alive is certainly a win, and if Beewise can accomplish this task without creating further pressure on growers or destabilizing pollination systems any more than they already have been, the impact of their designs could be increasingly positive for agriculture.

Beehomes Attracting Investors

Beehomes, Beewise’s modern hive design, is turning the heads of investors. Across the board we’ve seen a growing enthusiasm for technological innovations supporting hive management and data collection, but Beewise has become particularly interesting to investors. They are not the only company offering sensory technology and data collection, but they are the only company able to identify individual bees and assess their health.

Their technology also comes with a high level robotics system that can take data related to pesticide stress, mite infestations, temperature changes or lack of food and immediately address the issue. No human is required to be on site to analyze the data or apply the prescribed remedy. Beehomes are equipped to do this themselves. 

We can have all of the data in the world, but without the resources to address problems in time bee numbers will never rise fast enough to keep pace with crop needs. Beewise has already shown to have 70% fewer hive losses than traditional designs even in severe weather situations. More bees means more profitability for growers relying on pollinator success for high yields. 

Are Beehomes Affordable for Growers?

Beewise hopes to scale hive capacity quickly as growers become aware of the benefits of their design. Following traditional methods, Beehomes are rented by growers for pollination seasons, but unlike current systems they don’t require frequent beekeeper assistance. In bolstering bee health, Bewise aims to reduce labor needs for growers. 

In a cost comparison Beehomes offer a competitive cost per benefit ratio. What growers spend for delivery and initial setup, approximately $400 per hive, is offset by minimal wage expenses and more productive bees. Each home is a solar powered, self contained unit that offers continuous monitoring; something traditional hives cannot accomplish. Rental fees for traditional hives can be as much as $240 a month, but need frequent intervention from a beekeeper which can add costs to this monthly fee. Beehomes can do 90% of the work that a beekeeper would be responsible for.  Considering that 75% of crops need pollinators the potential impact on labor costs and crop yields are significant.

Overall performance and health are noticeable differences. Traditional hives suffered catastrophic losses related to severe weather incidents. Last year during Florida’s two hurricanes wooden hives were devastated while Beehomes still remained operational. Their very design works to keep hives warm and food available so that more bees can be out pollinating flowers instead of troubleshooting challenges within the home. Growers are reporting increased pollination activity on multiple crop varieties. 

Is AI Technology Vulnerable?

Every year 2.5 million commercial hives are transported on semi trucks across the U.S. The average crop needs one to two hives per acre to accomplish a successful pollination. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, pollinator crops account for $34 billion in annual revenue. Moving hives online moves billions of dollars of business online, not to mention major food supplies needed to feed the global population. Currently Beehomes account for just 300,000 commercial hives, but the concept is growing in popularity.

We can probably agree that bee populations are in a precarious position, but agreeing that AI technology is the best solution might be more difficult. Artificial intelligence offers the wonderful benefit of addressing hive problems quickly, but could it add a new vulnerability for colonies? If there were to be a mechanical malfunction would it destroy the bees in the home? It is possible. And, also not more problematic than a severe storm, fast moving infestation of mites or mass exposure to harmful pesticides.

Beewise technology is part of a larger conversation about agricultural systems and their increasing reliance on technology to maintain security. Machine malfunctions can be categorized as acceptable losses if they are few and far between, but cyber security risks represent an entirely different category. And artificial intelligence hacks are still being understood. These systems require specific training models and any tampering with how these machines learn and categorize data can jeopardize their output actions. Would it be safe to convert pollinator living conditions to AI designs? Wooden hives might not be able to withstand hurricane conditions, but they can withstand cyber attacks whereas smart hives can remain functional during gale force winds but fall prey to hackers. 

The Future of Bee Health

AI powered hives are likely to further integrate into the pollination system particularly in the commercial sector where durability and productivity are directly tied to livelihoods and secure supply chains. Commercial farming is also more equipped to absorb any cost increases associated with high tech hive designs, especially if growers continue to experience more pollinator activity and higher yield rates.  Artificial intelligence and robotics come with their one unique challenges, particularly in a beehive setting, however, Beewise’s design is just the beginning of innovative hive systems supporting food production in the United States and the pollinators who perform the most crucial job.