Monitoring of temperature and humidity in hives made of different material by an electronic recording system during the autumn and winter period of the development of bee colonies
Ivanka Zhelyazkova, Svilen Lazarov, Diyan Germanov, Iskren Mutafov
Abstract: The changes of temperature and humidity in hives made of different material (wood, polystyrene,
ceramics) during the autumn-winter period (2020–2021) from the development of bee colonies are
tracked. Bee colonies settled in 10-frame hives Dadan-Blatt system with lattice and solid bottoms are
used. To control the temperature and humidity in the beehives, an electronic recording system is used
with sensors installed in each hive and one sensor for monitoring the outside temperature and humidity.
During the studied autumn-winter period the temperature in the hives (average for the period and
by months) is higher and the humidity lower compared to the values of the outside temperature and
humidity, regardless of the material of the hive and the type of bottom (lattice or solid). The highest
average temperature in the autumn period (September, October, November) is found in the ceramic
hive with a solid bottom (29.15 ± 6.51 °C), and the minimum value is reported in the polystyrene hive
with a solid bottom (19.01 ± 8.47 °C). During the same period, the maximum value of the humidity
indicator for the hives with a lattice bottom is observed in the ceramic hive (50.74 ± 8.92%) and the
minimum in the polystyrene hive (45.91 ± 9.62%). For beehives with a solid bottom, the highest average
humidity is found in the polystyrene hive (55,14 ± 6,96%), and the lowest in the wooden hive
(44.69 ± 5.00%).
During the winter period (December, January, February) the highest average temperature is found
in wooden hives (10.15 ± 5.61 °С and 11.89 ± 5.16 °С), and the lowest in polystyrene hives (7.44 ± 5.12
°С and 7.61 ± 4.23 °С), regardless of the type of bottom. The largest difference from the outside temperature
(5.11 °С on average) is observed in the wooden hives – 5.04 °С with a lattice bottom and 6.78
°С with a solid bottom, respectively. The lowest average value of the humidity indicator is reported
in the wooden hives, regardless of the type of the bottom (69.70 ± 14.16% and 55.45 ± 10.04%), and
the highest in the polystyrene hive with a lattice bottom and the ceramic hive with a solid bottom (in
70–75%). The difference between the average values of the humidity indicator in the hives compared
to the external humidity (79.24%) in the hives with lattice bottoms is less than 10%. In the hives
with solid bottoms the differences vary in the range of 6–24% with the highest being in the wooden
hives.
ceramics) during the autumn-winter period (2020–2021) from the development of bee colonies are
tracked. Bee colonies settled in 10-frame hives Dadan-Blatt system with lattice and solid bottoms are
used. To control the temperature and humidity in the beehives, an electronic recording system is used
with sensors installed in each hive and one sensor for monitoring the outside temperature and humidity.
During the studied autumn-winter period the temperature in the hives (average for the period and
by months) is higher and the humidity lower compared to the values of the outside temperature and
humidity, regardless of the material of the hive and the type of bottom (lattice or solid). The highest
average temperature in the autumn period (September, October, November) is found in the ceramic
hive with a solid bottom (29.15 ± 6.51 °C), and the minimum value is reported in the polystyrene hive
with a solid bottom (19.01 ± 8.47 °C). During the same period, the maximum value of the humidity
indicator for the hives with a lattice bottom is observed in the ceramic hive (50.74 ± 8.92%) and the
minimum in the polystyrene hive (45.91 ± 9.62%). For beehives with a solid bottom, the highest average
humidity is found in the polystyrene hive (55,14 ± 6,96%), and the lowest in the wooden hive
(44.69 ± 5.00%).
During the winter period (December, January, February) the highest average temperature is found
in wooden hives (10.15 ± 5.61 °С and 11.89 ± 5.16 °С), and the lowest in polystyrene hives (7.44 ± 5.12
°С and 7.61 ± 4.23 °С), regardless of the type of bottom. The largest difference from the outside temperature
(5.11 °С on average) is observed in the wooden hives – 5.04 °С with a lattice bottom and 6.78
°С with a solid bottom, respectively. The lowest average value of the humidity indicator is reported
in the wooden hives, regardless of the type of the bottom (69.70 ± 14.16% and 55.45 ± 10.04%), and
the highest in the polystyrene hive with a lattice bottom and the ceramic hive with a solid bottom (in
70–75%). The difference between the average values of the humidity indicator in the hives compared
to the external humidity (79.24%) in the hives with lattice bottoms is less than 10%. In the hives
with solid bottoms the differences vary in the range of 6–24% with the highest being in the wooden
hives.
Keywords: beehives; humidity; monitoring; temperature
Date published: 2021-12-22
Download full text