BeeSafe – Climate Controlled Beehive

Task: Develop a solution to address the changing climate and its negative effect on bee populations in the U.S.

Bee population decline is a major issue in the U.S., especially in places where there are extreme temperature swings between day and night, as well as winter and summer. Over 30% of a bee colony can be lost per season and most colonies do not recover to previous strength. We performed user research and worked with a group of industrial farmers, beekeepers and bee hive rental service companies to devise a solution to this problem. A climate controlled beehive that integrated multiple hive monitoring systems would be the most effective and safe way to maintain bee colonies during changing climates.

My Role: Design Lead

I designed a system that would passively cool the beehive by drawing air from the bottom of the hive through to vents on the top cover of the hive. Ventilation apertures would be included between each bee box to provide additional airflow. In winter months, a heater is integrated at the lower portion of the hive, which heats air that is drawn up through the hive, warming the interior. Sensors were installed to monitor bee activity, and measure beehive mass and internal hive temperature. The components I designed were intended to be modular and easily attachable to current Langstroth hives which are the most commonly used beehive design for large scale beekeeping.

Implementation:

Designs were created using SolidWorks and built by me using my at home woodshop.