New tools for beekeepers to monitor the health and status of bee colonies remotely can benefit agricultural and honey industries by increasing productivity and pollination.
Although there are 600 000 beekeepers in Europe, honey production is not keeping up with demand, due partly to an alarming decline in bee populations. Smaller populations affect not only honey production but also the 70 % of food crops and 84 % of vegetables that depend on pollinators.
Further details: Monitoring honeybees for health and swarming prediction