Giving Beekeeping Guidance by cOmputatiOnal-assisted Decision making

Videos

B-GOOD: Project overview featuring Prof. Dirk de Graaf

We launch a new series of videos featuring experts working on the project, in order to provide a clear overview of the project, B-GOOD’s objectives, methodology and progress. In the first video, B-GOOD’s coordinator Prof. Dirk de Graaf gets in front of the camera and talks about the project action plan and expected outputs.

Lateral flow device for neonicotinoid contamination screening (instructional video)

In a collaboration between Wageningen University and Zhejiang University, this instructional video explains the principle of the neonicotinoid lateral flow device (LFD) developed by Zhejiang University.

The video displays several tests with different materials, including tap water, rapeseed flower, pollen and honey and gives clear instructions on how to evaluate the test results.

The LFD is able to detect six out of eight neonicotinoids, it is simple and requires minimal sample preparation, meaning that it is very suitable for on-site neonicotinoid screening.

Bee trafficking at the B-GOOD UK mini-apiary

This exciting short montage captures the trafficking of the bees from the B-GOOD UK mini-apiary at Holme Pierrepont Hall, Nottingham. Originally filmed at 240 frames per second and slowed down to 30 frames per second, the film captures the gradually appearing trace of each bee to visualise the intense traffic.

With each colony residing on the BEEP system, bee trafficking is one of the parameters which will be quantitated with the bee counters developed by project partner INRA.

Beehive inspection: B-GOOD apiary near Peso da Régua, Portugal

This beautiful montage from the B-GOOD apiary near Peso da Régua captures the steps and procedures B-GOOD researchers go through when they open a colony on a regular visit.

Featuring Nuno Capela and Sandra Simões from the University of Coimbra, the video shows step by step how to dismantle the beehive, inspect the colony and reassemble the hive. It also highlights the equipment used in an investigation apiary, such as the BEEP scale, temperature sensor, accelerometer etc.

CM5: In-hive temperature regulation seems to depend on the strength of the colony

There are 8 mini-apiaries distributed in Europe (UK, Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, Romania, Belgium and Portugal), with 8 study colonies in each. These colonies are equipped with the BEEP system and will be monitored during three consecutive years (2020-2023).

B-GOOD: Data Collection and Beehive Monitoring

This is the second video of the B-GOOD rubric that aims to reflect the project’s expected outputs and plan for action.The video features B-GOOD’s experts Coby van Dooremalen (Wageningen University and Research), Martin Bencsik (Nottingham Trent University), Marten Schoonman (BEEP Foundation), and Christopher John Topping (Aarchus University), who discuss the aspects of data collection and honeybee hive monitoring.

The B-GOOD Project: Highlights for 2020

A short video that showcases the main achievements of the B-GOOD project in 2020.B-GOOD wishes everyone a prosperous 2021!

The BEEP base: Automatic bee hive monitor

This video shows the advantages of the BEEP base as a monitoring tool for beekeepers. The BEEP monitoring system is a technological innovation that aims to help beekeepers in significantly improve beehive monitoring. The BEEP monitoring system includes the BEEP base and the BEEP app and it has been developed within the B-GOOD project by the team from the BEEP Foundation.

B-GOOD: Socioeconomic research of sustainable beekeeping

This is the third video of the B-GOOD rubric that aims to reflect the project’s expected outputs and plan for action. The video features B-GOOD expert Wim Verbeke (Ghent University), who discusses the aspects of economic analysis of sustainable beekeeping that is performed within B-GOOD.

B GOOD WFSR LFD preparation

The video shows the development of lateral flow devices at Wageningen Food Safety Research. You can see the 10 needed steps.

The LFD is a device that allows scientists to test for the presence of different neonicotinoids in various materials (examples in this video are tap water, rapeseed flower, pollen and honey); it is also quite simple and requires minimal sample preparation, making it suitable for on-site neonicotinoid screening.

B-GOOD Tutorial: Top Photo Analysis

In this video B-GOOD researchers from Wageningen University and Research demonstrate how you can estimate honeybee colony size in the BEEP app by using the top photo analysis method. This tutorial was created by Zeynep Ülgezen of WUR. The photo analysis method is based on the paper:

van Dooremalen C, Cornelissen B, Poleij-Hok-Ahin C, and Blacquiere T (2018). Single and interactive effects of Varroa destructor, Nosemaspp., and imidacloprid on honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera). Ecosphere 9(8):e02378. 10.1002/ecs2.2378

B-GOOD Consortium meeting 5 videos:

CM5: B-GOOD Laboratory analyses

Marc Schäfer (Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut) presents the results of disease monitoring of B-GOOD pilot A (mini-apiaries) and pilot B studies in 2020.

CM5: LFD Optimisation & Task 2.4 progress

Mang Xu (Wageningen Food and Safety Research) briefly updates on the development and validation of lateral flow devices.

CM5: Measuring frame content using vibrational stimulus and accelerometers

Adam McVeigh (Nottingham Trent University) talks about measuring frame content using vibrational stimulus and accelerometers. By improving our technique, we gain crucial skills to aid research to pollinators, insects and the environment.

CM5: In-hive temperature regulation seems to depend on the strength of the colony

Ugoline Godeau (INRAE) looks at the link between the in-hive temperature and the strength of the colony. She presents ideas for data analysis and preliminary application to another dataset.

CM5: Mapping relevant floral resources for honey bees in Europe

António Silva (University of Coimbra) talks about one of the main objective of work package 3, which is mapping relevant floral resources for honey bees in Europe.

CM5: Overview of field work and results on floral resources

Sara Lopes (University of Coimbra) is doing an overview on field work and results on flower resources in Portugal, Belgium and the United Kingdom.

CM5: Results of beekeeper intake survey: Insights into beekeeper managerial characteristics

Dana Freshley (University of Gent) presents the results of beekeper intake survey and gives insights into beekeper managerial characteristics.

CM5: Trends in communication & dissemination activities

Alexandra Korcheva (Pensoft) has prepared a presentation on trends in communication & dissemination activities.

CM5: Stakeholder views on relative importance of sustainability objectives for EU beekeeping

Dana Freshley (University of Gent) & João Bica (University of Coimbra) are presenting preliminary results on stakeholder views on relative importance of sustainability objectives for the EU beekeeping sector.

CM5: B-GOOD data portal and BEEP platform developments

Marten Schoonman (BEEP foundation) presents the latest developments regarding the B-GOOD data portal and the BEEP web app.

B-GOOD's progress: part 1 (Introduction)

In this video, B-GOOD Coordinator Prof. Dirk de Graaf from Ghent University shares the progress which the project has made in the first half of its lifetime.

B-GOOD is all about healthy and sustainable beekeeping. Its main objective is to help beekeepers maintain a healthy colony. But what is a healthy colony? Watch the video and you will see. :)

B-GOOD's progress: part 2 (Data collection, BEEP bases & app)

In this compelling video, Prof. Dirk de Graaf talks about the progress on the development of the health status index for bees. He explains that the collection of Big Data is happening over the course of 3 consecutive years and makes a review of each one. Dirk also gives an overview of the BEEP base and app, which are the key tools for the data collection process.

B-GOOD's progress: part 3 (accelerometers, gas sensors, bee counter, LFDs, virus detection & TaqMan Assay)

In the third part of the progress video series, Prof. Dirk de Graaf talks about the other innovative tools which B-GOOD has developed to further expand the data collection in the final years of the project. For example, the placing of accelerometers in 3 mini apiaries which constantly measure the vibrations on the combs, as well as the new ways to measure gas composition inside the hive.

Watch the video to find out more about our process of data collection and how B-GOOD expands the knowledge on beekeeping practice. :)

B-GOOD's progress: part 4 (mapping of floral resources, ApisRAM and landscape modelling)

In the fourth episode of the progress video series, project coordinator Prof. Dirk de Graaf gives an overview of the methodology of flower resource mapping. Dirk also talks about the development of dynamic landscape models that capture the most important flower resources and the integration of these models into the ApisRAM model.

B-GOOD's progress: part 5 (socioeconomics of beekeeping, multi-actor approach)

In the fifth episode of the progress video series, project coordinator Prof. Dirk de Graaf discusses B-GOOD's socio-economic component. Dirk gives an overview of the SWOT Analysis of the EU beekeeping sector, used to formulate 18 points of attention for policy and strategic developments, and explains the importance of B-GOOD's multi-actor approach.

Watch the video to find out more about how B-GOOD expands the knowledge on #beekeeping practice.

Lateral flow device for neonicotinoid contamination screening

This short video demonstrates the usage of lateral flow devices under field conditions right after collecting the colony samples and contains a step-by-step protocol. B-GOOD researchers find that this method of field condition detection is very convenient. Therefore, they believe these devices could be very useful for beekeepers who want to know if their colonies have been exposed to these chemical compounds.

B-GOOD 2022 Highlights

In this video, you will see the most prominent results derived from B-GOOD during 2022.

How to merge BEEP base offline data with database data

In this video you will see the detailed process of merging BEEP base offline data with database data.

B-GOOD video showcases a tool for honeybee genotyping

This video describes the basics of the TaqMan technology and demonstrates the procedure to genotype honeybees for the SMR trait.

B-GOOD CC: Why are honey bees dying: sustainable perspectives offered by automated health monitoring

B-GOOD project coordinator Prof. Dirk de Graaf (Ghent University) starts off the closing conference of the project with an introduction and the first presentation for the day.

B-GOOD CC: Discovery of novel vibrational signals from the honey bee colony

Dr Martin Bencsik (Nottingham Trent University) presents the topic "Discovery of novel vibrational signals from the honey bee colony and what they tell us about bee health" and explains more about the vibration sensors and generators installed by the B-GOOD partner TNTU, which enable non-invasive monitoring and early detection of colony health issues.

B-GOOD CC: Development of dynamic landscape models that capture the major floral resources for bees

Dr Elżbieta Ziółkowska (Jagiellonian University) sheds more light on how B-GOOD developed a method to map floral resources across Europe, incorporating habitat classification, plant composition, bee-friendliness values, an index, and a habitat score.

B-GOOD CC: Data-driven honey bee colony health status prediction using machine learning methods

Dr Xiaodong Duan (Aarhus University) explains about the machine learning models, including neural networks, that were developed under WP5 to predict the health status of bee colonies using data from BEEP automatic monitoring and inspections, offering beekeepers valuable tools for colony management.