Beekeeping in the digital age: prospects and pitfalls of hive sensors in commercial beekeeping

Precision apiculture systems have reached the honey bee industry in the last decade, but despite a boom in research and development in the field, the adoption of hive sensors by beekeepers remains low. Sensors can be placed in a hive and its surroundings to obtain real-time data about the status of a honey bee colony. The general hope is that real-time data can be translated into useful information for beekeepers to manage hives or for growers to track crop pollination. Here, we interviewed and surveyed beekeepers and associated stakeholders within the agricultural industry to gain insights into their needs and expectations for bee health and hive sensors across Australia. In total, 27 beekeepers and stakeholders of the agricultural industry participated in our interviews, and 69 beekeepers participated in our online survey. Of the interviewed beekeepers, 57% had used or trialled hive sensors. Most beekeepers showed positive sentiments towards hive sensors, acknowledging the opportunities sensors could potentially provide. However, challenges preponderate, and the majority noted that high costs and connectivity issues, specifically, are significant barriers to sensor usage, which in turn decreased the trust in hive sensors. To overcome adoption barriers, we suggest that research should focus on developing metrics that are usable and easy to interpret for end-users, with stable connectivity for data transmission and reasonable cost-benefit ratios. To increase trust in hive sensors, research should focus on the future detection of bee health changes rather than retrospective analysis, to inform beekeepers in a timely manner of a change in health status and make necessary interventions possible.