Honeybee protective device

Abstract

To provide a protective device for protecting honeybees reared in beekeeping from attacks by Asian giant hornets.SOLUTION: A plurality of fence-like members allowing both honeybees and Asian giant hornets to pass through, are installed in front of a hive entrance at such intervals that do not hold the honeybees therebetween, and one of them is moved to the left and right to crush or capture the Asian giant hornets near the hive entrance, thereby eliminating attacks by the Asian giant hornets near the hive entrance, thereby preventing counterattacks by the honeybees and protecting the honeybees in the beehive.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a device for protecting honeybees from giant hornets. [Background technology]

[0002] The damage caused by hornets is enormous for beekeepers. This is because the hornets fly in front of the hive to attack the bees in order to feed on them. Yellow hornets and small hornets hover in front of the hive entrance, capture a single bee, land on a nearby tree branch, and turn the bee into a meatball to take back to their hive. In such cases, although some damage is caused, the entire hive swarm is not wiped out. However, the damage caused by attacks by giant hornets is completely different. They land on the entrance to a beehive and bite and kill every bee near the entrance. Instead of immediately carrying the bees back to the hive, they bite and kill every bee that emerges, building a mountain of corpses that can number in the thousands. Eventually, they turn one of them into a meatball and take it back to their own hive. At the same time, they inform fellow giant hornets of the location of the beehive, and begin attacking in groups of a few to a few dozen. The giant hornets lie in wait for the bees near the entrance, retaliating by biting and killing every bee that emerges from the hive. When the number of bees in the hive dwindles, they invade the hive, annihilate the entire colony, and then take the adults, pupae, larvae, and honey back to their own hive to feed on. In an attack like this, dozens of giant hornets can wipe out an entire beehive in as little as 30 minutes to an hour. In an effort to prevent this, protective netting has been developed to prevent giant hornets from entering the hives, and bee protection devices have been developed to prevent hornets from easily approaching the hives. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP2014-050344 Public Relations [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2020-184902 [Patent Document 3] JP 2005-160339 Public Relations

[0004] For example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-050344, a protective device large enough to allow bees to pass through but not hornets is installed on the outside of the entrance to a beehive, preventing hornets from entering the hive.

[0005] In addition to the protective device disclosed in JP 2020-184902 that prevents hornets from entering the hive, there is also a known honeybee protection device that places multiple linear members in front of the hive entrance to prevent hornets from approaching, making it difficult for hornets to approach the entrance.

[0006] Furthermore, methods have been tried, such as that described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-160339, in which an electrically conductive metal member is placed in front of the entrance of a beehive at a distance that allows the bees to touch it but not the hornets, and the electrodes of a power source are connected to this member to give an electric shock that prevents the hornets from attacking the bees. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, while the above-mentioned bee protection device can prevent giant hornets from entering the hive, the hornets can easily come into contact with bees entering and leaving the hive near the entrance, and many bees are bitten to death when they try to pass through the bee protection device. Also, when a swarm of bees is attacked by giant hornets, they eventually do not stay inside the safe entrance to fight back, but instead go outside the entrance and are bitten to death by the hornets. Eventually, many bees in the hive are bitten to death by the hornets, and the bee colony is unable to maintain a sufficient number of worker bees to sustain itself, and is wiped out.

[0008] The bee protection device disclosed in JP 2020-184902 is effective against hornets that approach the hive while flying, but it allows hornets that approach on foot to get close, resulting in the same result.

[0009] The electric shock method of repelling hornets as described in JP 2005-160339 only temporarily stops the hornets' movements, and any bees that try to retaliate are bitten to death by the hornets in a location where they cannot receive the electric shock. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, the present invention arranges multiple rows of wire mesh in front of the entrance to a beehive box, either a lattice-like structure that allows both honeybees and giant hornets to easily pass through, or a fence-like structure made up of rod-like members arranged in a straight line at intervals that allow both honeybees and giant hornets to easily pass through. The distance between rows is a distance that will not crush the honeybees to death, and is preferably 4 to 6 mm. This distance prevents giant hornets from passing through. Because there are differences in size depending on the type of honeybee used in beekeeping and in the size of honeybees in different breeding regions, it is best to set the distance between rows between 4 and 8 mm, which is appropriate for the honeybees being raised.

[0011] At least one of the rows must be movable, and can be moved left and right at any interval parallel to the hive entrance by a motor connected to a power source. When this movable fence member moves, if a giant hornet is near the hive entrance to attack a bee, it will be crushed to death by being pinned between the movable and fixed fence members. However, because there is a gap of 4 to 6 mm between the movable and fixed fence members, the bee will not be crushed to death.

[0012] By extending the length of the bottom plate forward, it is possible to add fixed or movable fence members to be installed in front of the nest entrance. This will allow more giant hornets to be attracted to the entrance, increasing the chances of crushing them.

[0013] It is also possible to capture the Asian giant hornets rather than crushing them to death by adjusting the distance the movable fence-like member moves. The captured hornet can be moved while sandwiched between the movable and fixed fence members, and then fixed to an adhesive sheet or placed in a trap box. It is also possible to apply high voltage to the fence members to reliably give the hornet an electric shock while it is sandwiched between them. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] This invention makes it possible to crush and kill giant hornets that attack honeybees in front of the hive entrance. Because live giant hornets will no longer attack honeybees in front of the hive entrance, it is possible to reduce the damage that has been a problem until now, in which honeybees fly out of the hive entrance on their own in a counterattack and are bitten to death by the giant hornets. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a honeybee protecting device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a rear view of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. [Figure 6] 1 shows an example 1 of use at an apiary of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 2 shows a second example of use at an apiary of the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a rear view of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a sixth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0017] [overview] As shown in Figure 1, the honeybee protection device 1 according to this embodiment includes a housing 2, which houses components such as a microcomputer board 14 and a power supply 15 (see Figure 3), which will be described later. A first fence-like member 8, a second fence-like member 7, and a third fence-like member 9 are installed outside the hive entrance to crush and kill the giant hornets. The bee protection device 1 of this embodiment is provided with a housing 2 and is installed in front of the entrance of a beehive box, but it is also possible to eliminate the housing part and install a similar device directly at the entrance of the beehive box, making it an integrated device with the beehive box.

[0018] Figure 2 shows the first fence member 8, second fence member 7, and third fence member 9, which are rod-shaped members arranged in series and installed parallel to the hive entrance. The spacing between the rod-shaped members that make up each fence member is such that both honeybees and giant hornets can easily pass through. In this configuration, it is 35 mm. Giant hornets can easily pass through each fence member and approach the hive entrance, but the height of the hive entrance, which is the gap between the front plate 6 and the bottom plate 5, is about 6 to 8 mm, so that giant hornets cannot enter. A rack gear 12 is attached to the first fence member 8, and it can be moved left and right by any distance using a pinion gear 11 installed on a servo motor 10.

[0019] As shown in Figure 4, grooves are dug in the bottom plate 5 to prevent the first fence member 8 from wobbling back and forth when it moves. This allows a 4-6 mm gap to be maintained between the second fence member 7 and the first fence member 8, and between the third fence member 9 and the first fence member 8, to prevent bees from getting pinched and crushed to death. Compared to honeybees, Asian giant hornets are larger in body length and cannot slip through a gap of 4-6 mm. As the first fence member 8 moves left and right, they are pinched and crushed to death by the rods of the second fence member 7 and the third fence member 9. Because there are differences in size depending on the type of honeybee used in beekeeping and in the size of honeybees in different breeding regions, it is best to set the gap between rows between 4 and 8 mm, a distance appropriate for the bees being raised.

[0020] The distance that the first fence-like member 8 moves left and right, as well as the time interval between movements, can be adjusted by programming the microcomputer board 14 that controls the servo motor 10. By adjusting the resting position so that the rod-like members of the second fence-like member 7 and the third fence-like member 9 overlap perpendicularly to the hive entrance, it is possible to minimize the obstruction to the bees' entrance and exit, and at the same time make it easier to lure the giant hornets close to the hive entrance. The operating interval is adjusted based on the situation of the Asian giant hornets, as frequent operation will consume power quickly and require frequent battery changes. This adjustment is possible by turning the volume of the variable resistor connected to the microcontroller board. Furthermore, by using a light sensor or similar, it is possible to prevent the device from operating at night, when Asian giant hornets are less likely to attack. It is desirable to create an electrical design that saves as much power as possible. In this embodiment, it operates once per minute and stops operating at night. In the above example, the first fence member 8 is configured to reciprocate relative to the second fence member 7 and the third fence member 9, but the first fence member 8 may be fixed and the second fence member 7 and the third fence member 9 may be configured to reciprocate synchronously. Also, while the second fence member 7 and the third fence member 9 are configured to sandwich the first fence member 8, it is also possible to configure either one of them to be disposed.

[0021] Example 2 A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the following description, detailed descriptions of the same parts as those in the honeybee protecting device of the first embodiment will be omitted. Professional beekeepers often have many hives in one apiary. It is impossible to predict which hive the giant hornet will attack, so in order to prevent damage from the giant hornet, the bee protection device of the present invention must be installed in all hives. In this case, there is no need to install a control device such as a microcomputer board in every hive, and it is possible to control the bee protection devices in multiple hives with a single microcomputer board 24. Power is supplied to the microcomputer board 24 from a power supply 25 dedicated to the microcomputer board. Each hive is equipped with a bee protection device 21, which is internally equipped with a servo motor 22 and a power supply for the servo motor 23. A control signal line is connected to the bee protection device in each hive from a microcomputer board 24, and the device operates at regular intervals. The method of Example 2 is shown in FIG.

[0022] Example 3 A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the following description, detailed descriptions of the same parts as those of the honeybee protecting device of the first embodiment will be omitted. When installing many hives at an apiary, it is possible to operate multiple bee protection devices with a single power source. Increasing the power supply capacity for the servo motors makes it possible to extend the number of days that this bee protection device can operate continuously. Furthermore, connecting it to a solar power system to keep the battery constantly charged can further extend the operating period. Since Asian giant hornets attack beehives from early September to early November, if the device can operate for two and a half to three months without changing the power supply, it will be even more practical as beekeepers will no longer have to go through the hassle of changing power supplies. A solar power generation panel 35 is installed in the apiary and connected to a battery-equipped power supply 34. A microcomputer board 33 is connected to the battery-equipped power supply 34, and is connected to the honeybee protection device 31 installed in each hive via a power supply and control signal line 36. The third embodiment is shown in FIG.

[0023] Example 4 A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below, and detailed descriptions of the same parts as those in the first embodiment will be omitted. The movement distance of the first fence member 48 can be adjusted by adjusting the program on the microcomputer board 54. Adjusting the movement distance so that the rods of the first fence member 48 stop approximately 5 mm before overlapping with the rods of the second and third fence members 47 and 49 makes it possible to capture the giant hornet without crushing it to death. The microcomputer board 54 is connected to the high-voltage module 56, with the positive wire 58 connected to the first fence member 48 and the negative wire 57 connected to the third fence member 49. The microcomputer board 54 reads the operating width of the servo motor 50 and determines whether a giant hornet is trapped. Once it is confirmed that a giant hornet has been captured, the microcomputer board 54 sends a signal to turn on the high-voltage module 56, which then delivers an electric shock of approximately 4000V to the hornet. A fourth embodiment is shown in FIG.

[0024] Example 5 A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that in the following description, detailed descriptions of the same parts as in the first embodiment will be omitted. By modifying the first embodiment of the present invention, a giant hornet capture device 77 is created in which a fixed fence-like member 9, a movable fence-like member 8, a servo motor 10, a pinion gear 11, and a rack gear 12 are integrated. This giant hornet capture device 77 rotates around a support bracket 84 attached to a housing 72 as a fulcrum. As explained in the fourth embodiment, by adjusting the program of a microcomputer board 88, a giant hornet can be captured using the giant hornet capture device 77. The operating range of the servo motor can be read by the microcomputer board 88 to determine whether a giant hornet has been captured. A sensor or the like may also be used. When it is determined that a giant hornet has been captured, the pinion gear 83 attached to the servo motor 90 is rotated, and the pinion gear 82 is rotated to rotate the giant hornet capture device 77 by approximately 270 degrees. The giant hornet trapping device 77 approaches the adhesive sheet 86 installed on the top panel 3 of the housing 2, and the captured giant hornet is glued to the adhesive sheet 86. At this point, a control signal is sent from the microcomputer board 88 to the servo motor 79 of the giant hornet trapping device, which rotates the pinion gear 81, moving the movable fence-like member to which the rack gear 82 is attached in any direction, releasing the captured giant hornet. The giant hornet cannot escape because it is trapped on the adhesive sheet. A signal from the microcomputer board 88 again operates the servo motor 90, returning the giant hornet trapping device 77 to its original position and repeating the series of operations. When a group of giant hornets attacks a beehive, if several giant hornets are glued to the adhesive sheet, subsequent giant hornets will be captured one after another by the action of the pheromones they release. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the damage caused by honeybees. The embodiment of the fifth embodiment is shown in FIG. FIG. 11 shows how the bee protection device of Example 5 works.

[0025] Example 6 The sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that in the following description, detailed descriptions of the same parts as in the first embodiment will be omitted. The first embodiment of the present invention is provided with a comb-shaped rotary member 91. This comb-shaped rotary member 91 is controlled and operated by a servo motor 92 connected to a power supply 15 and a microcomputer board 14. The role of this comb-shaped rotating member 91 is to prevent Asian giant hornets from staying in places where the effect of the present invention does not reach and from attacking honeybees from those places when the first embodiment of the present invention is used. Some of the giant hornets that attack honeybee hives learn the movements of the honeybee protection device and will not enter the range of the first fence-like member. They will then wait in front of the bottom plate 5 and bite to death any honeybees that are lured that far. The comb-like rotating member 91 is designed to repel the giant hornets so that they cannot continue their attacks in such places. The intervals between the rods constituting the comb-like rotating member are set so as not to hinder the entrance and exit of honeybees, and so as to be effective against giant hornets. The sixth embodiment is shown in FIG. The comb-shaped rotating member 91 shown in FIG. 12 is one example of a member for repelling Asian giant hornets waiting in front of the bottom plate of the honeybee protection device, and may take another form that performs the same function. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 1. Bee protection device II. Housing 3. Top plate 4. Side panel 5, bottom plate 6. Front panel 7. Second fence-like member 8. First fence-shaped member 9. Third fence member 10. Servo motor 11. Pinion gear 12. Rack gear 13. Partition board 14. Microcomputer board 15, power supply 21, bee protection device 22. Servo motor 23. Servo motor power supply 24. Microcomputer board 25. Microcomputer board power supply 26. Control signal line 31, bee protection device 32. Servo motor 33. Microcomputer board 34. Battery power 35. Solar panels 41, bee protection device 42. Case 43. Top plate 44, side panel 45, bottom plate 46. ​​Front panel 47. Second fence member 48. First fence member 49. Third fence member 50. Servo motor 51. Pinion gear 52. Rack gear 53. Partition board 54. Microcomputer board 55, power supply 56. Electric Module 57, negative electrode wire 58. Positive electrode wire 71, bee protection device 72. Case 73. Top plate 74, side panel 75, bottom plate 76. Front panel 77. Asian giant hornet capture device 78. Movable fence-like member 79. Servo motor 80, pinion gear 81. Rack gear 82. Pinion gear 83. Pinion gear 84, support bracket 85, prevention version 86, adhesive sheet 87. Partition board 88. Microcomputer board 89, power supply 90. Servo motor 91, comb-shaped rotating member 92. Servo motor

Claims

1. A bee protection device that is installed in front of a beehive entrance and protects bees from giant hornets, A honeybee protection device characterized by comprising a first fence-like member having a plurality of first vertical bars arranged at a first interval, a second fence-like member arranged parallel to the first fence-like member at a second interval and having a plurality of second vertical bars arranged at the same intervals as the first vertical bars, and a driving means for reciprocating the first fence-like member relative to the second fence-like member while maintaining the second interval.

2. The honeybee protection device described in claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a third fence-like member arranged parallel to the first fence-like member, maintaining the second distance, and causing the first fence-like member to move back and forth relative to the second fence-like member and the third fence-like member.

3. 3. The honeybee protecting device according to claim 1, wherein the second gap is set to 4 to 6 mm.

4. 2. The honeybee protecting device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second fence-like members are electric fences.

5. A honeybee protection device as described in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an adhesive sheet and a moving means for moving the first and second fence-like members holding the giant hornet to a location where the adhesive sheet is installed.

6. A bee protection device as described in claim 1, further comprising a protection mechanism on the front side of the first and second reciprocating fence-like members, the protection mechanism comprising a repelling member consisting of a first rod-shaped member and a plurality of second rod-shaped members that cross the first rod-shaped member and are connected to the first rod-shaped member at predetermined intervals, and a driving means for driving the repelling member.

Images