Smart beehives help stop bee disappearance

The reduction in pollinator populations worldwide has been happening at frightening levels in recent decades - and humans seem not to realize the importance of these beings in ensuring global food security. Bees are responsible for pollination of one third of the world's food supply. Of the 100 crop types that feed 90% of the global population, 70 are pollinated by them.

Despite this, unfortunately, in the two decades between 1985 and 2005, the number of honey bees in England, for example, decreased by 54%, the largest drop in Europe. Fortunately, on the other hand, technology can lend a hand in increasing the chances of maintaining this species - not the way it did in Black Mirror, we hope!

Oracle and The World Bee Project have announced an unprecedented initiative to make it easier to understand bee disappearance and protect the species. The new program uses cloud technology to understand bee habits.

Called "The World Bee Project Hive Network", the project collects data from a network of connected hives. The data will then be sent to the Oracle Cloud system and evaluated with analytical tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data visualization to give researchers new information about the relationship between bees and the environment.

Through the project, researchers will be able to "listen" to bees - analyze complex acoustic data captured within intelligent hives, including the movements of their wings and paws. With the help of other high-precision measurements - including temperature, humidity and honey production - researchers will be able to closely monitor swarms, detect patterns and predict behaviors.

Thus conservationists and beekeepers will be able to protect the colonies and avoid, for example, swarming at the wrong time or protect them from predators such as the frightening Asian wasp. The data will inform beekeepers about the different conditions of the colonies throughout the year to help with beehive management.

"The protection of bees and other pollinators can help solve problems related to poverty and global food supply, as well as reducing loss of biodiversity and damage to ecosystems, " explains Sabiha Rumani Malik, founder and chief executive of The World Bee Project CIC.

The project, she said, will increasingly raise awareness of the importance of pollinator preservation, as well as allow for advanced research and large-scale action. “The more we learn about the relationship between pollination, food and human well-being, the greater our commitment to protecting bees and other pollinators. Thus, we will help protect the planet and ourselves, "he adds.

Data and information obtained using Oracle Cloud will be made available for bee conservation research and conservation projects worldwide. The World Bee Project Hive Network initiative shares resources and promotes partnerships to increase their impact and create broader bee preservation actions. In the future, partners hope to be able to use cutting-edge IT and other knowledge to support green intensification.

John Abel, Oracle Cloud's director of projects, "Technology is changing the rules of preservation initiatives." "Using cloud technology, the World Bee Project will for the first time have access to global and up-to-date bee health information. Researchers will have the information they need to work with governments and beekeepers to stem the decline in bee numbers. worldwide ", he points out.

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Smart hives help stop bee disappearance via TecMundo