U.S. General Services Administration
Region One beehives get an upgrade
What do you get when you combine Artificial Intelligence with beehives?
One word. Smarthive.
Two years ago, GSA Region One fully committed to promoting pollinator health, reversing pollinator decline, and providing citizen education and engagement on the subject.
The National Archives in Waltham, Massachusetts was the first location in Region One to receive two beehives as part of a nationwide pilot program to save the small insects. Unfortunately, the beehives on this site did not survive the winter of 2022.
But since then, two hives have been placed on the roof of the Warren B. Rudman United States Courthouse in Concord, New Hampshire.
The contractor, Best Bees, has successfully managed the beehives, providing analysis on the honey produced and bees saved.
With the prosperity of these hives, and today’s latest technology, however, Best Bees has enrolled GSA in the SmartHive Pilot program, a program that enhances beekeeping services with robotics, sensors, and artificial intelligence.
Revolutionizing the way bees are kept, SmartHive hardware was attached to the base of the hives at the Rudman on July 22, while sensors were placed throughout the hive. These sensors will capture analytics such as humidity, weight, and temperature.
Additionally, a camera was installed at the front entrance of the hive to record hive activity, which will be live streamed. The use of AI will track the bee population and pollen collection.
As we continue to try and combat the drastic decline of honeybees and other pollinators nationwide, using this new technology is a great step toward that.
