Bumblebee hive monitoring system

Abstract

The invention relates to a bumblebee hive monitoring system that controls the activity of the bumblebees in the hives by providing metrics regarding the greenhouses to be pollinated, such as temperature and relative humidity, thereby ensuring the productivity of the pollination and of the agricultural operation. The system comprises at least one main module (1) formed by a case (2) in the form of a box with an open upper face (16) and which is closed by a cover (3), the module containing a hive (17) and having a hole (12) in a side face thereof aligned with the opening of the exit from the hive (17), the module (1) being equipped with temperature sensors (5, 6) and relative humidity sensors (7, 8) and with fans (9), connected to an electronic controller (4), the fans (9) being activated according to the temperature and humidity parameters in order to maintain an optimal climate in the hive.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Bumblebee hive monitoring system

[0003] TECHNICAL SECTOR

[0004] The present invention falls within the scope of equipment for pollination in agriculture, specifically in the field of control of pollinating agents.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the male part of a flower, or anther, to the female part, or stigma, of another flower or the same flower, resulting in the fertilization of the plant. Crop pollination is a vital ecological process for the production cycle of fruits and vegetables.

[0007] The transfer of power can be carried out by wind or water (abiotic pollination), but in the vast majority of plants it is carried out through pollinating animals (biotic pollination).

[0008] These animals, such as bees, bumblebees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and nectar-eating bats, among others, feed on the nectar or pollen of flowers and, during their visits, accidentally transport pollen from one flower to another, facilitating cross-fertilization of plants and being directly responsible for fruit production in many species. Animals can be present naturally, but their presence can also be established through human action.

[0009] Bumblebees are insects of the Bombus genus in the Hymenoptera family. They are highly efficient pollinators, visiting a large number of flowers per minute and transferring more pollen to the stigma than other pollinators thanks to their size and the hairs on their bodies. Compared to bees, they are more effective in protected environments, such as greenhouses, tunnels, or crops under netting, where their hives are installed for pollination.

[0010] Environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and radiation play a critical role in optimal pollination. High temperatures cause bumblebees to remain inside the hive and spend more time regulating temperature than foraging, and relative humidity levels outside the optimal range can cause pollen to be too dry or sticky, making it less attractive to bumblebees.

[0011] It is therefore advisable to control temperature and relative humidity to ensure bumblebee activity and, consequently, the pollination process. This also applies to monitoring the population of animals in the hive, optimizing farm performance. Currently, there are no integrated systems or devices on the market that provide these features in bumblebee hives for greenhouse pollination.

[0012] This creates an unmet market need for systems that monitor the decline in bumblebee pollination activity in hives caused by high temperatures. These systems provide greenhouse metrics such as temperature and relative humidity, and monitor hive activity by generating alerts when it is low, ensuring pollination productivity and, consequently, the farm's productivity.

[0013] EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The object of the present invention is to obtain a monitoring system for bumblebee hives that controls the decrease in bumblebee activity in said hives caused by high temperatures, providing metrics of the greenhouses to be pollinated, such as temperature and relative humidity, and controlling the activity of the hive by generating warnings when it is low, thereby guaranteeing the productivity of pollination and the agricultural operation.

[0015] The bumblebee hive monitoring system of the present invention comprises at least one main module, formed by a box-like casing with a parallelepiped shape and open at the top, which is closed by a removable lid. A bumblebee hive is located inside the casing, the casing having a hole in one of its sides aligned with the hive's exit opening.

[0016] The main module is equipped with two temperature sensors, one located inside the enclosure and one outside, as well as two relative humidity sensors, one also located inside and one outside. The module is also equipped with a series of fans, both the sensors and the fans being connected to an electronic controller. This controller, based on the temperature and humidity parameters, activates the fans to ventilate the hive and thus maintain an optimal environment for its activity and development thanks to the generated airflow.

[0017] The module incorporates a motion sensor connected to the controller, located below the exit hole of the enclosure, in the passage between the hive and the box. This sensor monitors the movement of bumblebees from the inside to the outside and vice versa. Based on the frequency and time recorded by the controller, the hive's busiest points are determined, providing an indicator of its life cycle.

[0018] A load cell connected to a controller is mounted on the underside of the enclosure. This measures the weight of the hive, indicating the amount of pollen and other resources the colony has accumulated, as well as the number of bumblebees present. A heavier hive may indicate a strong and productive colony, while a lighter hive may indicate problems, such as a lack of food or disease.

[0019] Inside the enclosure there is also a carbon dioxide (CO2) level sensor connected to the controller. The presence of this sensor in the hive tells us about the air quality and whether we should ventilate it if it has reached a dangerous level.

[0020] A camera is placed inside the enclosure, facing the hive's entrance / exit opening and the enclosure. It is used to measure the population using computer vision techniques. It can also monitor the hive's activity, behavior, and dynamics to determine its health.

[0021] In addition, the controller incorporates a microphone that captures the sound coming from the hive, which is used to monitor the buzzing of the bees. This allows for detecting changes in the colony's activity, its health, or problems due to the presence of diseases, parasites, or attacks from external agents.

[0022] The controller and the rest of the elements connected to it are powered by direct current from an alternating current transformer, or it can also operate autonomously using batteries or the current generated by photovoltaic panels.

[0023] The data generated by the sensors are stored in the controller in an internal solid-state memory or in a RAM memory temporarily, and can subsequently be sent to a centralized server in the Internet cloud via Wi-Fi or mobile phone connection through connectivity elements of this type incorporated in the system.

[0024] The data can be analyzed and exploited on the centralized server, where post-processing of the images captured by the machine vision camera is also performed.

[0025] Additionally, the server can be accessed via the Internet through a mobile application and other computer equipment via web browsers for monitoring and analysis purposes. The controller can also be remotely accessed and system configuration parameters modified if necessary.

[0026] Thanks to all this, a bumblebee hive monitoring system is created that controls bumblebee activity in the hives with variations in temperature, relative humidity, and other variables. It monitors the animals' activity even remotely, generating metrics and alerts, thereby ensuring the productivity of pollination and the farm.

[0027] Throughout the description and claims, the word "comprises" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical features, components, additives, or steps. For those skilled in the art, other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent in part from the invention and in part from the practice of the invention. The following examples and drawings are provided by way of illustration and are not intended to restrict the present invention. Furthermore, the invention covers all possible combinations of particular and preferred embodiments indicated herein.

[0028] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] To complement the description being made and in order to help better understand the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description, in which the following has been represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes:

[0030] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the bumblebee hive monitoring system object of the present invention with the lid exploded.

[0031] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the main module of the bumblebee hive monitoring system object of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the bumblebee hive monitoring system object of the present invention.

[0033] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0034] Using the numbering adopted in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of this document to identify the elements that make up the bumblebee hive monitoring system that is the object of the present invention, the description of said elements for a preferred embodiment of the invention is given.

[0035] The bumblebee hive monitoring system object of the present invention is formed in a preferred embodiment by a main module (1) formed by a casing (2) in the form of a box of parallelepiped shape and open on its upper face (16), which is closed by a removable lid (3). Inside the casing (2) is located a bumblebee hive (17), the casing (2) having an orifice (12) in one of its lateral faces aligned with the exit opening of the hive (17).

[0036] The main module (1) is provided in a preferred embodiment with two temperature sensors (5, 6), one (5) located inside the enclosure and another (6) on the outside, as well as two relative humidity sensors (7, 8), one (7) also located inside and another (8) on the outside. Likewise, the module (1) is also provided with a series of fans (9), both the sensors (5, 6, 7, 8) and the fans (9) being connected to an electronic controller (4). Said controller (4), depending on the temperature and humidity parameters, activates the fans (9) to ventilate the hive (17) and thus maintain it in an optimal environment for its activity and development thanks to the air flow generated.

[0037] The module (1) incorporates a motion sensor (13) under the exit hole (12) of the enclosure (2) and connected to the controller (4) in the passage between the hive (17) and the enclosure (2), which controls the passage of the bumblebees from the inside to the outside and vice versa. Depending on the frequency and time recorded by the controller (4), the points of greatest activity in the hive (17) are determined, being an indication of its life cycle.

[0038] On the lower face of the enclosure (2) on its inside is mounted a load cell (11) connected to the controller (4) that measures the weight of the hive (17), which indicates the quantity of pollen and other resources that the colony has accumulated, as well as the quantity of bumblebees present in the hive.

[0039] Inside the enclosure (2) there is also a preferred embodiment of a carbon dioxide (CO2) level sensor (10) connected to the controller (4), whose presence in the hive (17) tells us the quality of the air and whether we should ventilate it if a dangerous level for it has been reached.

[0040] A camera (14) is placed inside the enclosure (2) focused on the entrance and exit hole (12) of the hive (17) and the enclosure (2), being used to measure the population using computer vision techniques, and also being able to monitor the activity, behavior and dynamics of the hive in order to determine its health.

[0041] Furthermore, the controller (2) incorporates in a preferred embodiment a microphone (15) that captures the sound coming from the hive, being used to monitor the buzzing of the bees, which allows detecting changes in the activity of the colony, its health or problems in the presence of diseases, parasites or attacks by external agents.

[0042] The controller (2) and the rest of the elements connected to it are powered by direct current from an alternating current transformer,

[0043] The data generated by the sensors are stored in the controller (4) in an internal solid state memory or in a RAM memory temporarily and can subsequently be sent to a centralized server (18) in the Internet cloud (21) via Wi-Fi or mobile phone connection through connectivity elements of this type incorporated in the system.

[0044] The data can be analyzed and exploited on the centralized server (18), where post-processing of the images captured by the artificial vision camera (10) is also performed.

[0045] Additionally, the server (18) can be accessible in a preferred embodiment through the Internet (21) by means of a mobile application (19) and other computer equipment (20) using web browsers for monitoring and analysis purposes, and can also remotely access the controller (4) and modify system configuration parameters if necessary.

[0046] In another preferred embodiment, the controller (2) and the rest of the elements connected to it are powered autonomously by batteries or by the current generated by photovoltaic panels.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Bumblebee hive monitoring system characterized in that it comprises at least one main module (1) formed by a casing (2) in the form of a box with a parallelepiped shape and open on its upper face (16), which is closed by a removable lid (3), a bumblebee hive (17) being located inside the casing (2), the casing (2) having an orifice (12) in one of its lateral faces aligned with the exit opening of the hive (17), and said main module (1) being provided with two temperature sensors (5, 6), one (5) located inside the casing and another (6) on the outside, as well as two relative humidity sensors (7, 8), one (7) also located inside and another (8) on the outside, and a series of fans (9), both the sensors (5, 6, 7,8) such as the fans (9) to an electronic controller (4) that activates the fans (9) to ventilate the hive (17) based on the temperature and humidity parameters., 2. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claim 1, where the module (1) incorporates under the exit hole (12) of the enclosure (2) and connected to the controller (4) a motion sensor (13) in the passage between the hive (17) and the enclosure (2) that controls the passage of the bumblebees from the inside to the outside and vice versa, the frequency and time of passage of said bumblebees being recorded in said controller (4).

3. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claim 1, where on the lower face of the enclosure (2) there is mounted a load cell (11) connected to the controller (4) that measures the weight of the hive (17), which indicates the quantity of pollen and other resources that the colony has accumulated, as well as the quantity of bumblebees present in the hive.

4. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claim 1, where a carbon dioxide (CO2) level sensor (10) connected to the controller (4) is also located inside the enclosure (2), whose presence in the hive (17) indicates the air quality and whether it should be ventilated if a dangerous level for the hive has been reached.

5. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein a camera (14) is placed inside the enclosure (2) focused towards the entrance and exit hole (12) of the hive (17) and the enclosure (2), being used to measure the population using computer vision techniques and to monitor the activity, behavior and dynamics of the hive in order to determine its health.

6. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claim 1, where the controller (2) incorporates a microphone (15) that captures the sound coming from the hive, being used to monitor the buzzing of the bees, which allows detecting changes in the activity of the colony, its health or problems in the presence of diseases, parasites or attacks by external agents.

7. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the controller (4) is provided with an internal solid-state or RAM type memory that temporarily stores the data generated by the sensors, there being a centralized server (18) in the Internet cloud (21) connected to said controller (4), which incorporates Wi-Fi or mobile telephone connectivity elements through which said data is subsequently sent to said centralized server (18) to be analyzed and exploited.

8. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claims 5 and 7, where the post-processing of the images captured by the artificial vision camera (10) is carried out on the centralized server (18).

9. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the server (18) is accessible via the Internet (21) through a mobile application (19) and other computer equipment (20) through web browsers for monitoring and analysis purposes, the controller (4) also being remotely accessible to modify system configuration parameters if necessary.

10. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the controller (2) and the rest of the elements connected to it are powered by direct current from an alternating current transformer, 11. Bumblebee hive monitoring system according to claim 1, where the controller (2) and the rest of the elements connected to it are powered autonomously by batteries or by the current generated by photovoltaic panels.

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