Dead or alive? Infrared cameras reveal health of beehives during winter

(YouTube/Utah Agriculture)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Beekeepers are getting assistance from technology to determine the health of their hives during winter.

Using infrared cameras, inspectors can detect warmth inside a hive to see whether bees are alive without taking their home apart. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food teamed up with the University of Utah to offer the inspections for free to registered beekeepers during winter months.

"Some people imagine either that (bees) freeze and then thaw out in the winter or that they hibernate, but the bees are actually awake and alive through the winter and they stay in a cluster," said bee inspector Stephen Stanko in a Utah Agriculture video. "They keep that cluster nice and toasty, and we're able to pick up the heat."

This image shows a hive with little or no life. The darker the color, the colder the temperature.
 (Photo: Courtesy of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food)
This image shows a hive with little or no life. The darker the color, the colder the temperature. (Photo: Courtesy of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food)

Utah is one of the first states in the U.S. to offer a winter inspection program using this infrared technology, according to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Officials hope the inspections will help reduce the number of bee deaths during the winter by identifying why each hive died out.

While inspectors leave healthy beehives alone, they can open up "dead or severely compromised" hives after receiving permission from beekeepers to analyze the situation and take samples.

"If foulbrood or another contagious disease is found, inspectors will recommend steps beekeepers can take before the weather warms to prevent the spread of the disease," a statement from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food reads.

There are about 30,000 reported bee colonies in Utah, according to officials. Inspections can be scheduled by calling 801-538-4912.

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Natalie Crofts

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