Urban Beekeeping & EyesOnHives; a Foreword

I never thought of beekeeping as something practical for city living.  I was wrong.  Urban beekeeping has sparked a lifelong passion. From Rural Bees to Urban Beekeeping I grew up around bees.  My dad had a few hives on our small rural farm, and my uncle remains an active beekeeper. Even my grandfather kept bees.  But I Read more about Urban Beekeeping & EyesOnHives; a Foreword[…]

Broad spectrum cyfluthrin pesticide is being sprayed in backyards with citrus trees for ACP control in Santa Barbara County, followed by neonicotinoids in June.

Mass Pesticide Spraying for ACP in Santa Barbara: Dogs, Cats & Bees at Risk

Situation: Pesticide is being sprayed in backyards with citrus trees all around Santa Barbara County starting this week. The pesticide is a broad spectrum synthetic cyfluthrin spray, and will be followed in June by soil drenching of systemic imidacloprid neonicotinoid pesticide. The initiative is being implemented by the Santa Barbara County Ag Department to control the Read more about Mass Pesticide Spraying for ACP in Santa Barbara: Dogs, Cats & Bees at Risk[…]

Saving Bees with Surveillance, Santa Barbara Independent, November 30 2015

EyesOnHives Uses Data and Analytics to Combat Declining Bee Populations Monday, November 30, 2015 by SAM GOLDMAN A new project called EyesOnHives has beekeepers buzzing. Developed by Santa Barbara–based Keltronix, Inc., the technology uses video to monitor hive activity in order to keep track of its health. A rapid decline in the insects’ population in recent Read more about Saving Bees with Surveillance, Santa Barbara Independent, November 30 2015[…]

EyesOnHives Webinars - get to your digital apiary!

Your encouraging support makes a huge difference!

We wanted to let you know that you, our supporters, are awesome.  Your encouraging support really has a big impact on our team. Whether you are online, or know us locally, your actions say you care about helping the bees, and that you believe in us. Thank you!   Encouraging progress We’re excited that in Read more about Your encouraging support makes a huge difference![…]

Technology Aims to Save Struggling Honeybee Populations in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk, November 11 2015

By Gina Potthoff, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @ginapotthoff Santa Barbara-based Keltronix, Inc. have launched EyesOnHives, a cloud-based analytics platform that allows beehive owners, scientists and researchers to keep eyes on bees for early warning signs of trouble. A powerful camera and computer are placed at the beehive and connected to the internet, where beekeepers can Read more about Technology Aims to Save Struggling Honeybee Populations in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk, November 11 2015[…]

Keltronix Inc Introduces EyesOnHives

EyesOnHives gives Beekeepers and Researchers the Tools to Revolutionize Honey Bee Hive Monitoring.   SANTA BARBARA, California — November 2, 2015 — Keltronix Inc today announced the launch of EyesOnHives™ a powerful analytics platform that helps beekeepers, scientists, and other researchers quantify and assess the activity and health of a beehive. With EyesOnHives, beehive activity data Read more about Keltronix Inc Introduces EyesOnHives[…]

Pesticides vs Pests or Pathogens: Part 2 the Results

Continued from My first possible pesticide incident, and sample collection. Part 1 After discovering a large number of dead bees just down the road from the office, I collected a sample, preserved them and sent them in for analysis. It ended up just costing just $2.50 to mail off the sample to the laboratory, really great Read more about Pesticides vs Pests or Pathogens: Part 2 the Results[…]

My first possible pesticide incident, and sample collection. Part 1

My colleague and I usually walk around the block here off Hollister and Robin Hill in Goleta mid afternoon to enjoy some fresh air and give our eyes a break from computer screens and robots. Yesterday, I’d been impressed by just how many bees were visiting the bottle brush flowers, and the seemingly healthy indication Read more about My first possible pesticide incident, and sample collection. Part 1[…]

Transitioning to Foundationless frames, as the bees intended

Drones started showing up in a big way after I put in a foundationless frame (with wooden comb guide) in the middle of my brood nest on 12/25/14.  Over the last month I completely transitioned to foundationless too – comb production is going crazy! I have lots of healthy drones, as of about 3 weeks Read more about Transitioning to Foundationless frames, as the bees intended[…]

Bee Hive Building – what to build, and not to build!

Why would anyone get into bee hive building?  Well, because it’s really fun, hands on, satisfying and rewarding – a lot like beekeeping itself.  My goal for building bee hives was actually to return all gear I borrowed from my friend by next spring, and have a full set of my own gear! The easiest Read more about Bee Hive Building – what to build, and not to build![…]

Combining Colonies and the new Dark Queen of the Bees

The next day I was able to transfer the bees to a new deep above my doomed colony, combining the colonies – the Garage Bees would have a new Queen! Newspaper Technique for Combining Colonies I used the “newspaper separation” technique, so that the hives wouldn’t mix right away.  The newspaper mostly prevents that by Read more about Combining Colonies and the new Dark Queen of the Bees[…]