The Effects of Using Heating Panels in Smart Beekeeping Systems on Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Colonies during Winter: Worker Bee Activity
2024
Oh, D.G. | Son, M.W. | Akongte, P.N. | Lee, C.H. | Choi, Y.S. | Kim, D.W.
The issue of honeybee winter mortality has become a global concern, with South Korea reporting high rates of winter die-offs over the past three years. This study investigated the optimal temperature and effectiveness of heating panels using a smart beekeeping system to mitigate winter mortality. The impact of heating pad use on colony internal temperature, worker bee movement distance and speed, and body weight during hibernation was evaluated. The experiment was conducted in three groups: a control group with natural hive temperatures, and two experimental groups with internal hive temperatures maintained at 10℃ and 12℃, respectively. All colonies were monitored via smart sensors recording temperature, humidity, and CO₂ at 30-minute intervals throughout the experiment. From December to March, worker bee movement distance and average speed were measured monthly. The results showed that the 12℃ heating group maintained the most stable internal colony temperature during January and February. This group also exhibited the highest activity levels throughout the winter, particularly in March. Weight measurements in January revealed that the 12℃ heating group had a higher average weight compared to the natural temperature group and the 10℃ heating group, although it recorded the lowest weight in February. These findings indicate that the use of heating panels can significantly affect the activity levels of worker bees during and after the wintering period.
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