Max Cherney is Director of Operations at Nectar Technologies and Dr. Rae Olson is a postdoctoral researcher at Washington State University. Together they work with Precision Beekeeping in Quebec, Canada developing a data driven app for commercial beekeepers to use to seasonally track not only individual colonies but entire beeyards, with each colony having an individual identity within that beeyard. Using GPS technology to identify a location, a beeyard, or a colony, can be tracked for an entire season. This can tell a beekeeper location differences as far as a host of variables is concerned, plus a long list of the results of management differences.

For instance, at the beginning of the season, colony and beeyard analyses can be made to determine the status of the yard and each hive. Then when some of the colonies, each with an QR ID code are moved, the early information in the cloud can tell what differences exist later in the season without having to take notes, enter them on a spreadsheet and hope you can remember what you did when and to which colony.

Data can be collected automatically when a yard is treated for varroa, fed, requeened with new stock, or other management issues. All you need is a cell phone with the app and you are set to collect. If you don’t have a cell signal, the data is automatically loaded right to the phone and automatically downloads when a signal is found. The data is stored and can be analyzed later, adding information collected earlier in the season. This can show the beekeeper the long-term impact of different treatments, feeding schedules, kinds of feed, queen suppliers, local forage, local weather and more.

Still in the development stages, Nectar is working with commercial beekeepers in several locations and using different management schemes to determine what data beekeepers will want and need, then what data the analysis team will need to collect to analyze the data collected. Right now, Nectar is working with beekeepers on a dozen or so data points, but the researchers behind the scenes are pointing to over 70 different data points needed to better analyze what is going on.

Data analysis is based on a three-prong approach – providing an easy-to-use dashboard for data entry by beekeepers, determining exactly what information beekeepers want and need, and working with researchers to get the most out of treatments and location data.

The future of beekeeping is here. Listen today!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

• Nectar Technologies - https://www.nectar.buzz
• Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/
• Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

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Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

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Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC