BEEP has now become a customisable platform that can be applied for research of honeybee colonies, bumblebees, wild honeybee colonies, etc. The BEEP platform is an 'open research' platform, which allows users to obtain high-quality data and monitor bee colonies in a harmonised and standardised way. To make this harmonisation in data collection possible, the BEEP foundation has compiled a standardised data model, based on about 30 sources.
 

Image: Overview of the main BEEP tools: the BEEP app and the BEEP base. But there is more, see the text below.
 

Users can adapt and optimise checklists, work plans, scientific protocols, and manuals to better suit their projects. They can also conduct field observations and import lab analysis data on diseases to gain a complete picture of the bee's health status. The BEEP base, an automated measurement system, offers automatic data collection. As an open-source platform, BEEP allows the incorporation of users’ sensors and devices, as well as the integration with other systems such as weather stations and bee counters using the BEEP API. The collected data can be accessed and downloaded from the BEEP app, presented in graphs, also available in its raw dataset format.

Image: BEEP Data Categories (open image in new tab to see all categories). Definitions and translations are also available.
 

The basic BEEP platform and services include:

• Data collection through standardised inspection sheets, which can be customised in multiple pre-defined checklists;
• Automatic data collection through the BEEP base or other device, with real time overviews;
• Data input: inspection data / measurement data / weather / qualitative and quantitative / pictures / lab data;
• Data storage and access in one place;
• Data download;
• Alert notifications for direct information on the status of the hive;
• Technical support;
• Intuitive, multilingual interface.

Another enhancement of BEEP is the implementation of two new features: (i) a dashboard feature for public sharing of data and (ii) an offline data entry for checklists using automatic character recognition. The BEEP team is currently looking for users to try it and provide feedback. If interested, please contact Marten Schoonman at marten@beep.nl.

 

Photo: The dashboard feature for public sharing of data
 

The development of the BEEP platform was largely made possible by the B-GOOD project. This project receives funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 817622.