HOW IOT BEEHIVES ARE HELPING SECURE THE WORLD'S FOOD SUPPLY

Streaming analytics software from SAS checks vital statistics on the fly to maintain hive health.

COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on the food supply chain that helps nourish people in all corners of the world. But an even older "pandemic" – the plight of honeybees – also threatens the world's food supply. In both cases, SAS analytics makes it easier to understand data signals as they're happening so effective interventions can take place. In this instance, SAS technologies are at work to save honeybees, the world's No. 1 food crop pollinator.

"SAS' passion for innovation and sustainability helped us find technology solutions to better understand the health of beehives," said Sarah Myers, AgTech Marketing Manager at SAS. "I'm an avid beekeeper, and it's exciting to work with a group of data scientists who want find new ways to support this critical global effort."

Four ways data science tracks hive health

SAS Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled beehives use streaming analytics to interpret hive data flowing from embedded sensors to help beekeepers better understand which units need help. Hive data is sent to the cloud to allow for the continuous measurement of three indicators.

Weight: A connected scale sensor tells beekeepers if the hive is producing honey and gaining weight – a sign of a healthy bee activity. If the scale indicates weight loss in one hive compared to its neighbor, beekeepers can intervene.

Temperature and Humidity: An ideal climate inside the hive creates baby bees and keeps the queen warm enough to survive the winter. Honeybees regulate hive temperature and humidity by moving, flapping and clustering. Internal sensors collect temperature and humidity data then analyze it to alert beekeepers about concerning fluctuations.

​About SAS

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Website: www.sas.com