Data di Pubblicazione:
2008
Citazione:
Monitoring of swarming sounds in bee hives for early detection of the swarming period / S. Ferrari , M. Silva, M. Guarino, D. Berckmans. - In: COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS IN AGRICULTURE. - ISSN 0168-1699. - 64:1(2008), pp. 72-77. [10.1016/j.compag.2008.05.010]
Abstract:
Beekeeping, known as one of the oldest forms of agriculture, in its complexity requires
control for honey production with what modern technology can offer. Honey is included
in animal production implying that farmers have interest in big productions according to
the best blooming time, the presence of parasites, the genetic strain of his bees and the
swarming periods of the honeybees (queen and her workers leaving the hive).
This last fact has a big economic interest for the beekeeper as swarming means honey
loss since bees start collecting the honey to migrate. Here for a method that enables the
prediction of the swarming is required to prevent the queen from leaving the hives. In
this experiment an acoustic method based on labelling of sounds is proposed to predict
the swarming period. Three hives were monitored during 270 h. The microphones were
sited inside the hives together with a temperature and humidity sensor. The sounds were
recorded with a sample rate of 2 kHz, and analyzed via Matlab and Cool Edit Pro. During this
period 9 swarming activities occurred. Swarming is indicated by an increase in the power
spectral density at about 110 Hz; approaching to swarm the sound augmented in amplitude
and frequency to 300 Hz, occasionally a rapid change occurred from 150 Hz to 500 Hz.
Another finding indicating the initiation of a swarming period is the raise in temperature
from 33 ◦C to 35◦C until the actual time of swarming when the temperature starts dropping
to 32 ◦C. With more activity, ventilation from bee wings causes drop of temperature. Less
information comes from the correlation between sound and humidity since this parameter
is too much influenced by the external conditions and no significant variation occurred
according to a swarm. This increase of temperature, together with the changes in acoustical
features of the sound recorded in the hive, may be used as a predictor for swarming of the
bees to reduce honey loss.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
Bee ; Frequency ; Hive ; Honey loss ; Sounds ; Swarming ; Temperature
Elenco autori:
S. Ferrari, M. Silva, M. Guarino, D. Berckmans
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