A recent short documentary by the German broadcaster ARD features B-GOOD partner Prof. Robert Paxton and his work on the project. Robert and his team at the institute for biology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, conduct their research in both the laboratory and in the field. The institute has access to 14 mini apiaries, where Robert demonstrates the functionalities of the BEEP bases and the digital BEEP app. These technologies allow beekeepers to constantly monitor the health of their bees. 

Photo: A shot from the documentary demonstrating the functionalities of the BEEP app. Credits: © ARD-Mediathek DE

"The hive is placed on a scale, and its weight is measured every 15 minutes. The information is directly transferred to a central computer.", says Robert.

In addition to temperature, the BEEP base also keeps track of vibrations in the hive, which can also give indications if a bee is sick. When talking about routes of infection, Uni Halle takes a leading role in this research field. Robert has been working in the institute for more than ten years and has big plans to expand his research on bee health.

© ARD-Mediathek DE

All of the research activities carried by Prof. Paxton and his team have a common goal - to understand what makes bees sick and ultimately prevent it.