BeeConnected — Understanding and anticipating mechanisms of honeybee colony mortality with connected beehives

BeeConnected aims at understanding mechanisms underlying winter mortality risk of honeybee colonies and to identify early-warning indicators that could help beekeepers limiting colony losses and related economic deficits. We will combine our expertise in various scientific fields, including behavioural ecology, molecular biology, engineering, computer science, and modelling. In close collaboration with beekeepers, we will carry out a large-scale monitoring of beehives along combined gradients in climate (continental, temperate and Mediterranean) and landscape. The monitoring will combined traditional field observations with automated systems using multiple low-cost sensors to track the bee swarm in real time and in three dimensions inside the beehives. Data will be associated with mechanistic models to assess the risk of colony mortality and to identify early-warning indicators. The final goal is to derivate decision-support tools for beekeepers to sustain their professional activity.