BroodMinder: A 21st-Century Tool Improves an Ancient Craft

Beekeepers have a long tradition of inventiveness but, until recently, methods have been confined to the physical world. Present-day beekeepers are the heirs to their clever ideas, with many pieces of useful equipment, including the Rev. Lorenzo Langstroth's hive design, Porter bee escapes, Snelgrove and Cloake boards, each named for their inventors. In this digital age, it’s not surprising that techy beekeepers have tackled the dark — and previously secret — world within their hives.

There have been many attempts to wire up hives, but one company, BroodMinder, has leaped ahead of the pack with a simple-to-use system. BroodMinder is both robust in its ability to collect and upload hive-data, and flexible enough to meet users’ varying needs for information, and that depth and flexibility are what persuaded us to add BroodMinder to our product line-up.

What is BroodMinder?

BroodMinder provides a set of tools designed to record hive weight, humidity, and temperature data on the hour, then store and chart the data for analysis. Having this data at your fingertips allows you to plan ahead for upcoming seasons, putting the insight to work for more successful beekeeping. This also means that you can get a peek at colony health during long, cold winter stretches — without opening the hive and exposing your bees to the elements.

Types of BroodMinder sensors and components

There are multiple types of hive sensors that you can install, and you can select the options that suit your tracking needs. BroodMinder offers monitoring systems to measure weight, temperature, and humidity, and optional Wi-Fi or CELL hubs can be connected to gather and transmit data from a distance. You can also get a full Citizen Science kit that includes all three BroodMinder monitoring devices and allows you to track, log, and compare your hive data with other beekeepers across the world.

A peek at BroodMinder data

We’ve installed the Citizen Science Kit, which includes the full set of BroodMinder equipment, on a hive near our store here in Greenwich, NY. Ironically, this hive is one which we call our “scale hive” because it is placed on an old-fashioned, balance beam, grain scale. On top of that pre-existing set-up, we have added a BroodMinder scale, along with two sensors: a temperature-only one and one of the more sophisticated devices that combines both temperature and relative humidity readings. This kit is also paired with a Wi-Fi hub that allows real-time upload of the instruments’ data to the MyBroodMinder site, which you can view with a personal login.

How to get started with BroodMinder

What if you are intrigued, but prefer to start on a smaller scale? Is there a more-modest entry point? The answer is, yes! So, let’s start there.

Tracking temperature inside your hives

The most basic component of the set is the temperature-only sensor. This can be used all by itself for a fascinating window into the lives and biology of the bees in your hives. You can review your data using the BroodMinder app, which is compatible with most smartphones and tablets. The T-2 temperature sensor and your mobile phone are all you need.

At the simplest level, temperature readings will tell you whether your colony is alive, where the bees are within the stack of boxes, and later in the winter, confirmation that the bees are caring for brood.

Test and guide your hive management strategies

Temperature sensors like the BroodMinder strips also allow curious beekeepers to study the effects of various winter management techniques, such as wrapping or insulating hives, installing quilt boxes or upper entrances, performing oxalic acid vaporizations, or opening the hive to provide supplemental feed. In warm weather, monitoring temperature changes within the hive can make you aware of swarming, brood-rearing changes, and overheating issues. Later in the season, the temperature data can help you properly time miticide applications, which requires an absence of brood for the best effect.

There’s a handy, built-in note-taking feature that allows you to record all kinds of hive-tending activities and note your observations of the bees. You have the choice of keeping your data private or uploading it to the MyBroodMinder hub to share it with the beekeeping community.

BroodMinder installation instructions

Installing a temperature sensor in a hive is easy and quick to do — even in the winter. After activating the strip according to BroodMinder’s instructions, you simply open the hive enough to slip the sensor in place. For the least disturbance, choose a relatively warm and calm day. You’re able to start collecting information right away, and you can view it easily on your phone.

Refer to the instructions and resources provided by BroodMinder for more details about how to activate, install, and use your hive monitoring devices. 

What is BroodMinder’s range?

BroodMinder data can be collected in close proximity using a smartphone, or from further away via a hub. Using your phone, data is transmitted via a Bluetooth connection, with a coverage distance of up to a few meters. The receiving device needs to be physically within range to retrieve this data.

For better range, BroodMinder Hubs are able to gather data from any sensors installed within about a 20-meter radius of the hub. The Hub sends the data to the cloud on an hourly basis via a Wi-Fi or cell connection, automatically, which lets you access your hive data at any time you wish — even without a trip to the bee yard.

If you’ve been thinking of trying out some hive telemetry, a simple temperature strip and your cell phone may be a good starting point for you. If you crave more data points, you may decide to go all-in with more BroodMinder components. But be warned, this can get addictive! See the full line of BroodMinder equipment that we carry. Explore our How to Be a Beekeeper Guide for more beekeeping tips and tricks.

Note: Check out the BroodMinder.com website for more information and to learn which of the free apps will work best with your cell phone.