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The small hive beetle Aethina tumida (SHB) Murray,1867, is an invasive bee pest that is expanding its range across Latin America, parts of Australia and the Philippines, and is now established in two regions in Italy. However, despite multiple recent introductions, there is scant information about the dynamics of the initial stages of colonization of the SHB and this knowledge gap could impact management and quarantine strategies decisions for many countries. This note describes the monitoring strategies and the patterns of SHB establishment in a previously SHB‐free apiary on the island of Oahu, Hawaii in 2010–2011. The weekly hive inspections, conducted over a ten‐month period, showed that beetle prevalence increased slowly at the apiary level, and adult beetles were more commonly found (87.9%) inside the oil traps that were placed inside the hives between the outermost frames of the hive. There were relatively few "free roaming" beetles detected at this point and they were more often found on the side frames and underneath the cover of the hive, not on the floor of the hive. The results also suggest that in the early stages of colonization careful visual inspections of the frames of each colony had relatively low detection success when compared to oil traps. Our results support previous modelling studies that suggest the need to inspect a high proportion of colonies per apiary (>80%) to ensure a 5% detection rate during the initial stages of invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterologia is the property of Sociedad Hispano-Luso-Americana de Lepidopterologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Honeybees are essential to human society, providing pollination services globally as well as producing honey and other valuable products. Effective management of apiaries should not only rely on beekeeper knowledge and skill, but also incorporate new information technologies. The options to identify, predict and prevent beekeeping problems are becoming more affordable and applicable. The interdisciplinary Horizon 2020 project HIVEOPOLIS focuses on developing a new approach in beekeeping, by creating novel mechatronic beehives and implementing new bio-hybrid ideas. These intelligent beehives aim to help honeybees to cope with adverse environmental factors and increase the survival rate of the bee colonies. This paper focuses on the software architecture design for these intelligent beehives, providing infrastructure for data management and decision support system operation. The presented infrastructure is suitable for highly dynamic and diverse environments where a multitude of components interact and exchange information across technology domains (embedded, cloud, UIs) in a reliable and secure way. Besides user support, the decision support system built upon this infrastructure enables closed-loop automated decision making and control. • Intelligent beehives comprise diverse sensors and robotic actuators. • A data processing architecture for these futuristic hive systems is presented. • A system of intelligent hives integrated into a network of online microservices. • Remote decision support and automated actions are provided for beekeepers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nest defense in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a complex collective behavior modulated by various interacting social, environmental, and genetic factors. Scutellata-hybrid ("Africanized") honey bees are usually considered to be far more defensive than European honey bees which are therefore preferred for commercial and hobbyist beekeeping. In the most recent zone of scutellata hybridization, the southern USA, the degree to which this defensiveness differs among current strains, and the extent to which defensiveness varies across a season has not been measured. We quantified the levels of A. m. scutellata ancestry in colonies and conducted a seasonal assessment (May through November) of colony nest defensiveness in feral scutellata-hybrid and a popular lineage of European honey bee commonly used in managed environments (sold as A. mellifera ligustica) hives at two apiaries in Southern California. Standard measures of defensiveness were low in both scutellata-hybrid and European colonies during May. Defensiveness increased during the later months of the study in scutellata-hybrid colonies. Most measures of defensiveness did not increase in managed colonies. Defensiveness in the scutellata-hybrids appears lower than what has been previously documented in Brazil and Mexico, possibly due to their lower proportion of A. m. scutellata ancestry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The greater wax moth (GWM), Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a major bee pest that causes significant damage to beehives and results in economic losses. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) appears as a potential sustainable solution to control this pest. Here, we develop a novel Bt strain (designated BiotGm) that exhibits insecticidal activity against GWM larvae with a LC50 value lower than 2 μg/g, and low toxicity levels to honey bee with a LC50 = 20598.78 μg/mL for larvae and no observed adverse effect concentration = 100 μg/mL for adults. We design an entrapment method consisting of a lure for GWM larvae, BiotGm, and a trapping device that prevents bees from contacting the lure. We find that this method reduces the population of GWM larvae in both laboratory and field trials. Overall, these results provide a promising direction for the application of Bt-based biological control of GWM in beehives, although further optimization remain necessary. The greater wax moth (GWM) is a major bee pest. Here, the authors show how a pest control method that combines a strain of Bacillus thuringiensis and a lure-based entrapment can help to control GWM using lab experiments and field beehives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is the most economically important parasitic pest of honey bees (Apis mellifera) that causes global colony decline and loss. Since its first detection in Ethiopia in 2010, little is known about the current infestation levels and contributing factors to the mite's distribution across the country. In this study, we conducted a large‐scale assessment of varroa prevalence and infestation levels in managed colonies across three potential beekeeping regions of Ethiopia; Oromia, Amhara and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR). A total of 360 samples from 39 apiaries were collected following standard protocols and the mite prevalence and infestation levels were determined using the established method of varroa research. Overall, 89% of sampled colonies were infested by the mite, with varying prevalence rates across the regions: 95.8% in Oromia, 85.2% in Amhara and 71.9% in SNNPR, indicating the widespread nature of the parasite throughout the country. The varroa infestation levels were lower in local hives (2.6 ± 5.9) than in frame hives (5.0 ± 0.9), and significantly higher in brood bees (5.6 ± 0.8) than in adult bees (1.93 ± 0.17) (p < 0.001). Possible factors contributing to the varied mite prevalence and infestation levels in the country include differences in agro‐ecology, beekeeping practices, host age preference and the nature of bee hives. Therefore, our study provides insights into the current status of varroa prevalence and associated factors across regions in Ethiopia. Further investigation is required to explore the probable impact of the parasite on the health and productivity of local honey bees, in order to design future monitoring strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nosemosis is a microsporidian disease caused by Nosema ceranae and N. apis and transmitted via oral-fecal and oral-oral routes. It is globally distributed among adult bees in honeybee colonies. Considering the health importance of nosemosis in honeybees, the study aims to determine the frequency of Nosema spp. infection in migratory apiaries in Hormozgan province by microscopic and molecular methods. In the present study, 20 bees from ten randomly selected hives in 84 migratory apiaries were collected. In the laboratory, the abdomen of the bees was separated from the rest of the body with entomological tweezers and scissors and then ground up in a mortar containing saline serum. The prepared suspension was filtered by passing through a sieve, then the prepared suspension was transferred to test tubes and centrifuged. The pellets were repeatedly washed by saline solution and centrifuged. Finally, the pellets were examined for spores of Nosema spp. by light microscopy and conventional PCR. In microscopy, 38.2 % of apiaries were positive for Nosema spp. spores. By PCR however, DNA of N. ceranae was detected in 39.2. % of apiaries with no samples positive for N. apis. Due to the considerable frequency of infection in migratory apiaries in Hormozgan province, it is necessary to carry out appropriate health measures such as screening of apiaries with appropriate diagnostic methods and training of beekeepers to disinfect hives in order to control Nosema infection in Iranian apiaries by the veterinary health officials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction in Europe of the yellow-legged hornet Vespa velutina in 2004 has been the most successful invasion of an eusocial vespid, with dramatic effects on honeybees. Whereas an eradication is almost impossible in mainland, attacks and pressure on beehives are arising. Here we study the efficiency of non-attractive interception traps, so-called electric harps, by following a recent work using the same type of device which took place in Galicia (Spain). We used eight beehives separated in two groups, four with electric harps and two without them. Electric harps captured a huge amount of individuals from V. velutina and other species. Thus, beehives with electric harps are expected to experiment less pressure than those without them. Our study is a first step which should motivate further studies on this system. It however illustrates the efficiency and high selectivity of electric harps in protecting beehives, and can be used to understand foraging periods of hornets. Here we conclude that, owing to their low impact on biodiversity, such interception non baited traps provide a good protection of hives as tested in small apiaries, and we advise beekeepers to use these traps for hives situated in areas with high predation pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A continuing trend in precision apiculture is to use computer vision methods to quantify characteristics of bee traffic in managed colonies at the hive's entrance. Since traffic at the hive's entrance is a contributing factor to the hive's productivity and health, we assessed the potential of three open-source convolutional network models, YOLOv3, YOLOv4-tiny, and YOLOv7-tiny, to quantify omnidirectional traffic in videos from on-hive video loggers on regular, unmodified one- and two-super Langstroth hives and compared their accuracies, energy efficacies, and operational energy footprints. We trained and tested the models with a 70/30 split on a dataset of 23,173 flying bees manually labeled in 5819 images from 10 randomly selected videos and manually evaluated the trained models on 3600 images from 120 randomly selected videos from different apiaries, years, and queen races. We designed a new energy efficacy metric as a ratio of performance units per energy unit required to make a model operational in a continuous hive monitoring data pipeline. In terms of accuracy, YOLOv3 was first, YOLOv7-tiny—second, and YOLOv4-tiny—third. All models underestimated the true amount of traffic due to false negatives. YOLOv3 was the only model with no false positives, but had the lowest energy efficacy and highest operational energy footprint in a deployed hive monitoring data pipeline. YOLOv7-tiny had the highest energy efficacy and the lowest operational energy footprint in the same pipeline. Consequently, YOLOv7-tiny is a model worth considering for training on larger bee datasets if a primary objective is the discovery of non-invasive computer vision models of traffic quantification with higher energy efficacies and lower operational energy footprints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Art-Sanat Journal / Art-Sanat is the property of Art-Sanat and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper presents, based on the study and the experience of the authors in the field, some considerations, especially from an application aspect, useful in building a photovoltaic system for supplying electricity to an isolated apiary, as well as simulations for such a system, made with the PVGIS program . The main highperforming electric machines of today with relatively high energy consumption from an isolated beehive are identified, as well as their specific mode of use, during a calendar year, an essential factor for establishing the installed power of such a photovoltaic system and a its effective technical-economic design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the effect of the surrounding environmental conditions during winter on a number of beehives inside three different apiaries (closed, half-closed, and open) designed for beekeeping under cold conditions. The closed apiary maintains the acquired temperatures and appropriate humidity better compared to the half-closed and open apiaries, where the average temperature and humidity inside the beehives were (21.85 °C, 67%), (18 °C, 78.33%) and (19.26°C, 82.33%) respectively during the experimental period. The results did not show any significant differences among the apiaries' beehives with regard to honey, pollen, and brood area. However, the closed apiary was found to be more active than the rest of the apiaries, as the average brood area was (36.00 sq. in.), the total amount of honey consumption was (176 sq. in.), and the maximum consumption of pollen found at the end of January 2020 was (29 sq. in.), compared to the half-closed and open apiaries, where the average brood area was (32.93, 35.33 sq. in.), honey consumption (95.7, 172.4 sq. in.) and pollen consumption (24.66, 28.67 sq. in.) respectively. In addition, the closed apiary and its beehives outperformed the rest of the apiaries and their beehives in terms of the daily temperature and humidity when taking the hourly records per day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various subspecies of Apis mellifera L. were introduced to Central America since colonization 500 years ago. Hybridization increased with the entrance of the Africanized bee in Nicaragua in 1984. Rustic beekeeping activities and numerous feral swarms define the genetic pattern, reflected in phenotypic heterogeneity and remarkable differences in the behaviour of the bee colonies, especially the nest defence. Due to these facts, the question emerge about the degree of Africanization of honeybee colonies in Nicaragua. In this study, we identified Africanized honeybee colonies based on the single character "mean forewing length" and we corroborated our results by determining mitotypes using mtDNA analysis. Morphometric and genetic approaches were realized in three different geographical zones of Nicaragua and related to beehive characteristics and management. Worker bee samples were taken from the inside of 146 hives from 26 apiaries. Abdominal colour as phenotypic character was the first examination, followed by measurement of 1460 right forewings to determine corresponding probability of Africanization. More than 60% of the beehives showed phenotypic heterogeneity and mean forewing length of 8.74 mm (SD 0.16 mm) indicated a high degree of Africanization. Those results provided a selection of 96 worker bees to perform PCR of two worker bees per hive. For mitochondrial DNA analysis 14 samples from sentinel apiaries were added. Three from 61 beehives presented bees with different mtDNA. Throughout, three mitotypes of the African (A) lineage were detected; one mitotype is still unidentified. Mitotype A1 A. mellifera iberiensis was represented by 88 bees and mitotype A4 A. mellifera scutellata by 21 bees. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the PCR findings. No associations were found between mitotypes, forewing length, beehive characteristics and management. A high degree of Africanization in A. mellifera colonies represented by two predominating mitotypes from the A lineage, prevail in Neotropical Nicaragua, with mitotype A4 predominating at higher altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three commercial honey bee operations in Saskatchewan, Canada, with outbreaks of American foulbrood (AFB) and recent or ongoing metaphylactic antibiotic use were intensively sampled to detect spores of Paenibacillus larvae during the summer of 2019. Here, we compared spore concentrations in different sample types within individual hives, assessed the surrogacy potential of honey collected from honey supers in place of brood chamber honey or adult bees within hives, and evaluated the ability of pooled, extracted honey to predict the degree of spore contamination identified through individual hive testing. Samples of honey and bees from hives within apiaries with a recent, confirmed case of AFB in a single hive (index apiaries) and apiaries without clinical evidence of AFB (unaffected apiaries), as well as pooled, apiary-level honey samples from end-of-season extraction, were collected and cultured to detect and enumerate spores. Only a few hives were heavily contaminated by spores in any given apiary. All operations were different from one another with regard to both the overall degree of spore contamination across apiaries and the distribution of spores between index apiaries and unaffected apiaries. Within operations, individual hive spore concentrations in unaffected apiaries were significantly different from index apiaries in the brood chamber (BC) honey, honey super (HS) honey, and BC bees of one of three operations. Across all operations, BC honey was best for discriminating index apiaries from unaffected apiaries (p = 0.001), followed by HS honey (p = 0.06), and BC bees (p = 0.398). HS honey positively correlated with both BC honey (rs = 0.76, p < 0.0001) and bees (rs = 0.50, p < 0.0001) and may be useful as a surrogate for either. Spore concentrations in pooled, extracted honey seem to have predictive potential for overall spore contamination within each operation and may have prognostic value in assessing the risk of future AFB outbreaks at the apiary (or operation) level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Al-Adab / Al-ādāb is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cassia moschata Kunth is one of many hosts of Caryedon gonagra (F.) and an alternative host to Achroia grisella F., this later is known as secondary pest of apiaries, where the moth fed on seeds and later to hibernate there, although alternatively it may feed on beehive and become a secondary beehive pest. Both species together may reduce significantly the seed feasibility of C. moschata, where C. gonogra destroy 72.8% and A. grisella 11.46%, but both may damage 84.26% of the seed, just leaving only some healthy seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argentina is a leading honey producer and honey bees are also critical for pollination services and wild plants. At the same time, it is a major crop producer with significant use of insecticides, posing risks to bees. Therefore, the presence of the highly toxic insecticide chlorpyrifos, and forbidden contaminants (organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)) was investigated in honey bee, beebread, wax and honey samples in apiaries from three contrasting regions of Argentina. Chlorpyrifos was detected in all samples with higher levels during period 1 (spring) in contrast to period 2 (fall), agreeing with its season-wise use in different crops, reaching 3.05 ng/g in honey bees. A subsequent first-tier pesticide hazard analysis revealed that it was relevant to honey bee health, mainly due to the high concentrations found in wax samples from two sites, reaching 132.4 ng/g. In addition, wax was found to be the most contaminated matrix with a prevalence of OCPs (∑OCPs 58.23–172.99 ng/g). Beebread samples showed the highest concentrations and diversity of pesticide residues during period 1 (higher temperatures). A predominance of the endosulfan group was registered in most samples, consistent with its intensive past use, especially in Central Patagonia before its prohibition. Among the industrial compounds, lighter PCB congeners dominated, suggesting the importance of atmospheric transport. The spatio-temporal distribution of pesticides shows a congruence with the environmental characteristics of the areas where the fields are located (i.e., land use, type of productive activities and climatic conditions). Sustained monitoring of different pollutants in beekeeping matrices is recommended to characterize chemical risks, assess the health status of honey bee hives and the pollution levels of different agroecosystems. This knowledge will set a precedent for South America and be helpful for actions focused on the conservation of pollination services, apiculture and ecosystems in Argentina. [Display omitted] • Chlorpyrifos, OCPs, PCBs and PBDEs were found in honeybee hive matrices. • Pollutants revealed the influence of agricultural and urban/industrial activities. • Chlorpyrifos levels in the beekeeping matrices was related with sampling periods. • The occurrence of POPs was associated with climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), commonly known as the Small Hive Beetle (SHB), is becoming a significant pest in the beekeeping industry outside of its natural distribution range. In Mexico, recent reports indicate that the SHB is distributed throughout the Yucatan peninsula. The invasion of honey bee colonies by SHB it is mainly chemically mediated by volatiles produced by the yeast Kodamaea ohmeri which is regarded as a secondary symbiont of the SHB. It was analyzed the presence of this yeast in honey bee colonies of Yucatan based on the premise that symbionts are often conjointly distributed with their hosts, therefore the presence of K. ohmeri in hives will be closely associated with the presence of SHB. In managed Africanized honey bee (AHB) colonies, yeasts associated with adult beetles were isolated and identified and the results show that the SHB together with their associated yeast, K. ohmeri, have invaded AHB colonies in Yucatan. It was also reported the presence of yeasts other than K. ohmeri associated with SHB that for the first time are recorded in a geographical region where they had not been recorded before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Preliminary evaluation of flumvar efficacy in control of varroasis in some Tehran province's apiaries, Varroasis is the most important parasitic disease of honey bees that in addition of direct damages due to perforation of honey body can provide transmission the kinds of viruses and bacterias. However, during recent decade were carried out the efforts in order to biological control of varroasis but the main solution against varroa is chemical control by pesticides yet. Methods: In this study 30 hives in 2 experimental group's induding negative control, and flumvar were surveyed. After determination of primary in festation in experimental group with flumvar was applicated according to theirs manafactere subsequently, 40 days after treatment the varroal in festation were determined again. Results: flumvar was decreased varroal infestation from 12 to 2 and 11 to 1% respectively. The efficacy of flumvar was 90.26% respectively. No side effects were seen after flumval application. According to the more than 90 percent of flumvar efficacy the varroacidal effects of this pesticide is suitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honeybees are predominant and ecologically as well as economically important group of pollinators in most geographical regions. As a result of analysing current situation in studies and practices, a conclusion was drawn that beekeeping sector is in decline. The identified reasons for this are land-use intensification, monocropping, pesticide poisoning, colony diseases, parasites and adverse climate. One of the solutions is to find a proper bee colony harvesting location and use luring methods to attract bees to this location. Usually beekeepers choose the apiary location based on their own previous experience and sometimes the position is not optimal for the bees. This can be explained by different flowering periods, variation of resources at the known fields, as well as other factors. This research presents a model for evaluation of possible apiary locations, taking into account resource availability estimation in different surrounding agricultural fields. Authors propose a model for real agricultural field location digitization and evaluation of possible apiary location by fusing information about available field resources. To achieve this, several steps have to be completed, such as selection of fields of interest, converting selection to polygons for further calculations, defining the potential values and coefficients for amount of resources depending on type of crops and season and calculation of harvesting locations. As the outcome of the model, heat map of possible apiary locations are presented to the end-user (beekeeper) in the visual way. Based on the outcome, beekeepers can plan the optimal placement of the apiary and change it in the case of need. The Python language was used for the model development. Model can be extended to use additional factors and values to increase the precision for field resource evaluation. In addition, input from users (farmers, agricultural specialists, etc.) about external factors, that can affect the apiary location can be taken into account. This work is conducted within the Horizon 2020 FET project HIVEOPOLIS (Nr.824069 - Futuristic beehives for a smart metropolis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Canadiense de Estudios Hispánicos is the property of Asociacion Canadiense de Hispanistas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), is a significant pest of managed honeybees in the USA and eastern Australia. The beetle damages hives by feeding on hive products and leaving behind fermented wastes. The beetle is consistently associated with the yeast Kodamaea ohmeri (Etchells & Bell) Yamada et al. (Saccharomycetales: Metschnikowiaceae), and this yeast is the presumed agent of the fermentation. Previous work has noted that the small hive beetle is attracted to volatiles from hive products and those of the yeast K. ohmeri. In this study, we investigated how the volatile compounds from the fermenting hive products change depending upon the source of the hive material and also how these volatiles change through time. We used gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and choice‐test behavioural assays to investigate these changes using products sampled from apiaries across the established range of the beetle in eastern Australia. The starting hive products significantly affected the volatile composition of fermenting hive products, and this composition varied throughout time. We found 61.7% dissimilarity between attractive and non‐attractive fermenting hive products, and identified individual compounds that characterise each of these groups. Eleven of these individual compounds were then assessed for attractiveness, as well as testing a synthetic blend in the laboratory. In the laboratory bioassay, 82.1 ± 0.02% of beetles were trapped in blend traps. These results have strong implications for the development of an out‐of‐hive attractant trap to assist in the management of this invasive pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the result of an investigation carried out from August 2015 to November 2016, to characterize the beekeeping production and transhumant activity of the municipalities of Misantla, Yecuatla, Colipa, Juchique de Ferrer and Tenochtitlan. Interviews are conducted with specialists, experts and honey producers. It is found that the beekeeping activity is carried out for at least 500 families with an average experience of 22 years, with semi-extensive transhumant systems with an average production of 24 kg of honey per beehive, of which 9% have more than 500 beehives working under semi-technified schemes. Among these systems, only 10% of beekeepers have invested in the differentiation of beehive products. The volume of honey generated with production systems of a queen bee per beehive is at least 90 t year-1, with an economic value of $174 000 (US $). It has been found that 90% of beekeepers in the study region transhuman between places in that region and 23% of them do it to another entity. On the other hand, it was also found that access and permission to land are factors that define transhumant routes and identification of suitable areas for apiaries settlement. This research provides a map of areas used as apiaries settlements, as research work, their results deserve the attention of future research to identify spatial zones through systems of geo-positioning, as well as a transhumance program for these locations based on calendars of flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey bees directly affect and are influenced by their local environment, in terms of food sources, pollinator densities, pathogen and toxin exposure and climate. Currently, there is a lack of studies analyzing these data with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to investigate spatial relationships with the environment. Particularly for intercolonial pathogen transmission, it is known that the likelihood of a healthy colony to become infested (e.g., Varroosis) or infected (e.g., American foulbrood-AFB, European foulbrood-EFB) increases with higher colony density. Whether these transmission paths can actually be asserted at apiary level is largely unknown. Here, we unraveled spatial distribution and high-resolution density of apiaries and bacterial honey bee brood diseases in Switzerland based on available GIS data. Switzerland as 'model country' offers the unique opportunity to get apiary data since 2010 owing to compulsory registration for every beekeeper. Further, both destructive bee brood diseases (AFB and EFB) are legally notifiable in Switzerland, and EFB has an epizootic character for the last decades. As governmental data sets have to be ameliorated, raw data from the cantonal agricultural or veterinary offices have been included. We found a mean density of 0.56 apiaries per km², and high resolution spatial analyzes showed strong correlation between density of apiaries and human population density as well as agricultural landscape type. Concerning two bacterial bee brood diseases (AFB, EFB), no significant correlation was detectable with density of apiaries on cantonal level, though a high correlation of EFB cases and apiary density became obvious on higher resolution (district level). Hence, Swiss EFB epizootics seem to have benefited from high apiary densities, promoting the transmission of pathogens by adult bees. The GIS-based method presented here, might also be useful for other bee diseases, anthropogenic or environmental factors affecting bee colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An intelligent auxiliary device for transporting beehives was designed based on the environment of the apiary. • The torque of each joint was determined using a dynamic model in RecurDyn. • Flexible analysis was conducted to identify the position of maximum stress. • Field experiments were performed to determine each joint's actual maximum stress, precision, and repeatability accuracy. The transportation of beehives poses a significant challenge in the beekeeping industry. To address the manual handling practices prevalent in the beekeeping industry and enhance the automation level, this study attempts the design and development of a mobile auxiliary beekeeping device mounted on a caterpillar vehicle for beehive transportation. Specifically, the design of the auxiliary device was completed in SolidWorks with the notion of the cylindrical mechanical arm. Subsequently, a dynamic model of the simulated environment is constructed using RecurDyn, facilitating the determination of the torque requirements for each joint based on the dynamic model. Furthermore, the multi-flexible body dynamics analysis is utilized to conduct a flexible analysis of the auxiliary beekeeping device's three principal components and the maximum beehive weight, which can be safely transported, is estimated through simulation analysis. Particularly, field experiments involve the use of strain gauges to measure the stress exerted on the components of the auxiliary beekeeping device during actual beehive transportation. Additionally, it incorporates the errors and precision associated with each joint, and the planar positioning accuracy result. Meanwhile, the maximum torque required for the joints, which is about 5 N·m was determined by simulation results, affirming that the selected drive motors can meet the operational requirements. Through simulation, it is determined that the auxiliary device can handle a maximum beehive weight of 126 kg, approximately three times the weight of the standard beehives (40 kg) utilized in beekeeping farms. This ensured that the auxiliary device poses no risk of overturning during the beehive transportation. In addition, the stress levels at crucial locations are ascertained through on-site strain experiments. Interestingly, the auxiliary support part (57.68 MPa) and the spindle connection (58.8 MPa) experienced the highest stress levels; and the stress levels in the telescopic rod and lower support part remained below 5 MPa. In particular, these stress levels fall within the permissible range of the materials employed (200 MPa), which ensures the auxiliary device's safe utilization. An evaluation of each joint's operational accuracy showed that the planar positioning accuracy result of joint 1 and joint 2 is 9.65 mm for 50% CEP and 23.55 mm for 95% CEP, respectively. Furthermore, the highest final error was exhibited by the vertical extension joint (11.48 mm), indicating that the auxiliary device can successfully accomplish the beehive transportation tasks within beekeeping farms. Overall, this research provides a solid foundation for the subsequent development of automated beehive handling devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, an exceptional find was made by the Nakum Archaeological Project in an offering deposited deep within the architectural core of the Precolumbian Maya site of Nakum located in northeastern Guatemala. The form of the object and comparisons made to ethnographic analogs indicate that it is a clay beehive, most probably one of the oldest in the Maya area and in the whole of Mesoamerica. Whether the object was used for its intended function or is an emulation, or skeuomorph, of perishable counterparts, remains unknown. The importance of this find lies in the fact that beekeeping is an activity that is traced with difficulty in archaeology. The present paper discusses the discovery of this artifact at Nakum, which dates to the end of the Preclassic period (ca. 100 BC-AD 250/300), in a wider temporal and spatial context and provides new data on Precolumbian beekeeping. We use a broad comparative vantage, drawing on archaeological, epigraphic, and ethnohistorical sources to discuss Mesoamerican beekeeping and its role in both the daily and the ritual lives of the Maya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Prototyping of IoT-based systems aimed at benefits in agriculture. • Proposing new technologies and solutions focused on the economy and the environment. • Developing a low-cost and accessible system for precision beekeeping. • Avoiding beehives theft, a problems that affect the beekeepers activity. • A system aimed at avoiding damages and stole of beehives in apiaries. This work involves two main themes: Beekeeping and Internet of Things (IoT). The beekeeping theme reinforces the enormous importance of bees in their role in honey production and in pollinating the environment. It was sought, through IoT methods like monitoring an environment and the proper communication of any abnormal behavior to the interested parts, to deal with a real problem in beekeeping: the theft or vandalism in hives. Through a simple and alternative proposal to face the identified problem, the presented proposal brings a description of the implementation of a simplified system based on IoT - in which this context, we can say it was applied precision beekeeping techniques -, as an alternative to other existing options to solve or mitigate the problem of hive theft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palynological analysis of a unique, large-scale apiary from the tenth–early ninth centuries BCE town at Tel Reḥov (Jordan Valley, northern Israel) was aimed at identifying the plants used for honey production, reconstructing ancient environments and identifying exotic plants that may indicate the geographical origin of apiculture at the site. Pollen samples from various contexts represent the local environment, whether the more general (soil samples, cylinder wall) or bee-biased (hives, combs). High Ziziphus and Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae ratios accord with the Irano–Turnanian vegetation of the site's vicinity. The ancient hives were placed within the old town, hence the dominance of ruderal plants. The fossil pollen represents the full spring to autumn flowering season. Nothing in the pollen spectra suggests an exotic source of the hives' contents or the material the cylinders were made of. If the bees were originally brought from afar, they subsequently exploited the local plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Varroa destructor Linnaeus ( Acari: Varroidae) is one of the greatest threats to apiculture. This study examines the role of host density, natural resource availability for bees, the management and climate in driving spatial and annual variability in the abundance of Varroa, and the occurrence of colony losses, recorded in apiaries across a Mediterranean island over a 2-year period, using a hierarchical generalised linear model framework. 2. The seasonal abundance of Varroa showed a bimodal pattern with two peaks, the first one being in spring and larger than the second one located in summer/autumn. In contrast, bee colony losses were mainly concentrated in autumn/winter. 3. The abundance patterns of Varroa were best explained by models combining host, climate, and resource availability. A key novel finding was that low availability of natural flowering resources leads to high levels of infestation of Varroa, highlighting the importance of preserving natural resources around apiaries for the maintenance of pollination services in the landscape. Varroa abundance was also found to increase as bee density increased, probably as a result of the greater brood availability. Moreover, Varroa abundance increased as temperatures decrease and decreases as relative humidity increases, which is consistent with previous studies. Anti-varroa treatments were only found to impact Varroa levels in the second 6 months of the year. Organic treatments outperformed synthetic treatments. 4. Empirical research on optimal seasonal timing and combinations of treatments, as well as impacts of climate and resource availability on natural dynamics of bees and Varroa in different climate zones, is urgently required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]