Author Topic: Hive Audio  (Read 1481 times)

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Offline Noise Maker

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Hive Audio
« on: December 02, 2017, 01:44:29 am »
The screen name Noise Maker comes from my love of experimental electronic music. At some point in the near future I intend to sample the sounds of the bees inside the hive, and use them in a few music projects along with sharing them with a few folks I know who would use them also. But I got to thinking that there might be a practical application for this also and perhaps (probably) it has already been done somewhere at least once.

I was wondering if the bees activity at during different times of the year puts out different pitches that may or may not be withing the human audio frequency spectrum. If so, it may provide clues as to what the bees are up to without having to open the hive for inspection, although I know nothing can replace two eyes on what is happening and being able to determine if immediate action is needed.

In the past, this may not have been practical for beekeepers as it would require more equipment to buy and the costs were not justifiable. However the modern cell phone is fully capable of high quality audio recording and there are low cost apps that can display the audio spectrum of the recorded audio.

Just a crazy thought that popped into my head recently that I thought I would pass along, and wondered what kind of thoughts y'all might have.
I don't know what I'm doing, but am doing it with confidence.

Offline apisbees

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2017, 02:36:12 am »
Queen Piping, the elevated buzz in the hive when the queen is not present in a super when it has been separated from the rest of the hive. The sound the bees make when fanning across the nasonov glands to let the other bees hone in on the new hive or entrance location. The buzzing sound that the bees make when the detach their wings so they can vibrate their muscles to create heat. Never mind the sound the pissed off bee that is flying around your head makes. You can hear these different sounds with your ear, and by observing the season, temperature, the bees behavior and how you are manipulating the hive, it is easy to deduce what the sounds that they are making are for.
Infrared is available for most phone cameras and research has been done on using it to monitor the conditions in the hives. There are also heat, humidity, and weight censers available for hives with apps to connect and send the data to your computer of smart phone. In a commercial operation with a scale under a selected hive in each yard, as an operation manager you can send the workers out to the yards that need the supers based on the hives weigh gain rather than attending the yards in rotation.
Of all the monitoring hive gadgets that have been developed a hive scale to inform the beekeeper of hive weight gain of loss in my opinion is the most useful, it can let you know whether supers or syrup is needed on hives in that location.
Inferred can let you know what the cluster size is and where it is in the hive but at the time of year that this would be used, if the cluster is to small or in the wrong place, it is to cold to do any thing about it.
Enjoy all the different sounds that the bees emit, but nothing compares to opening up the hive and witnessing what is happening in the hive first hand. 
Honey Judge, Beekeeping Display Coordinator, Armstrong Fair and Rodeo.

Offline Perry

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2017, 06:21:50 am »
Experimenting is how discoveries are made, it should be an interesting study. Being that it falls into another one of your passions makes it all the better. :)
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2017, 01:53:37 pm »
There is research going on into remote monitoring of hives, some of which is already on the market. Hive sounds can tell one a great deal about the conditions in the hive and will be a future thing, IMHO.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2017, 09:38:16 pm »
Piping queens bring great joy to my heart! I freeze everything I'm doing and listen. How many people ever get to hear that... Makes me giddy  ;D
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Offline Noise Maker

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2017, 10:50:34 pm »
Just read the post about queen piping, cant wait to hear it. Will have to look to see what research has been posted online. Building something to get my own data will give me a reason to clear off my electronic worktable. Hive building forced me to clear off my main worktable.

Am looking at some sort of small transmitter that needs to reach 600 feet to the house. The Arduino microcontrollers have lots of add on accessories along with the needed code to get them connected. Also will need to make it run on solar power as there is no power within a reasonable distance from the hive.
I don't know what I'm doing, but am doing it with confidence.

Offline efmesch

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2017, 01:06:28 pm »
The "sweetest" sounds produced by bees (in my opinion) are those of a swarm looking for a place to land.  Once your ears are attuned to this hum you'll be able to catch a lot more swarms, many of which would simply pass by overhead unnoticed.

Offline Lburou

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2017, 03:02:02 pm »
The "sweetest" sounds produced by bees (in my opinion) are those of a swarm looking for a place to land.  Once your ears are attuned to this hum you'll be able to catch a lot more swarms, many of which would simply pass by overhead unnoticed.
There is truth in your observation Ef.

But, as I paused to consider my favorite sound, I had to conclude my favorite sound is the one I'm hearing at the time.  Kind of like good food.    ;)
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Offline Noise Maker

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2017, 05:10:43 pm »
EF, listening to swarms is something I never thought of. My hearing is not as good as it was, but I can hear faint odd changes in background noise sometimes when I'm not paying attention to it. I bet the sound changes in the hive possibly days before bees decide to swarm. It probably changes gradually so that if one listens every day, one may not notice it right off. Then again I could be wrong.
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2017, 07:43:41 pm »
The sound of swarming is due to the number of bees all in flight but not really fling at any speed. they are more interested in staying congregated as a group as they do not have a set destination in mind when they leave the hive. This is a bee flight sound so would make it hard to hear in advance and in the hive. 
Honey Judge, Beekeeping Display Coordinator, Armstrong Fair and Rodeo.

Offline riverbee

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Re: Hive Audio
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2018, 09:12:00 pm »
noise maker.....

i am late to the thread, just catching up.

i love music, and i love or have enjoyed the sounds of the bees.  bees do have different sounds, as you gain more experience you will be attuned to 'listening' before opening the hive. and listening/reading the frames/activity when you open the hive. pretty cool.

i have recorded all sorts of sounds from my hives.........queen piping is pretty cool!

i changed the sound of my email (incoming messages) to a digital recording from a handheld digital voice recorder of the hum of the bees when i opened the lid one time. pretty cool, my hb laughs everytime i open my laptop and my email to download messages.........sounds like BEES.......... :D
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