BeeHero reveals data-backed insights from latest almond pollination seasons

BeeHero, a provider of precision pollination, unveiled data-driven bee activity insights from the 2022-2024 almond pollination seasons. The company has revealed bee flight hour and bee frame insights via its sensor technology and AI-powered analysis that contribute to improved pollination practices. 

In recent months, BeeHero surpassed the threshold of 300,000 hives under management, from which the company records more than 25 million hive samples daily. The new data is being released on World Bee Day, the date designated by the UN to raise awareness of the importance of these vital pollinators, the numerous threats they face, and how they contribute to sustainable agriculture and development.

Analysis of the previous almond seasons revealed that BeeHero-managed hives demonstrated a higher degree of effectiveness, with an average of nearly 50% more bee-frames per hive compared to the industry standard. This performance translates into stronger colonies and enables BeeHero to optimize hive placement and reduce the number of hives required per acre in almond orchards, resulting in enhanced pollination at a lower input-to-output ratio for growers, according to a news release.

BeeHero also discovered a significant difference in the average daily bee flight hours (BFH) measured by its sensors as compared to the traditional bee flight hour calculations. While conventional bee flight hour methods (based on industry standard hives) recorded a total of 2.7 daily BFH over the 2022 and 2023 almond pollination seasons, BeeHero was able to more accurately measure almost double this amount, at 5.9 daily BFH, demonstrating that bees will indeed fly in suboptimal conditions, according to the release.

This revelation underscores the higher accuracy of BeeHero’s methodology over traditional calculations, which underestimate the actual flying time of bees due to a reliance on and proximity to local national weather stations, affecting industry crop yield predictions. Both this finding and BeeHero’s ability to provide stronger hives have widespread implications for not only almonds, but other seed, row, and specialty crops as well, according to the release.

“We are excited to be consistently achieving new, pivotal milestones on our mission to transform pollination efficiency through transparency and data-driven precision,” Omer Davidi, CEO and co-founder, said in the release. “Our findings showcase the critical nature of robust data in optimizing pollination activities, and our unique ability to provide previously unknowable insights – and as a result, stronger hives and more accurate yield predictions – to industry stakeholders. We look forward to continuing to reshape industry paradigms, empowering growers and beekeepers to better foster bee welfare and bolstering productivity for greater profitability.”

During the 2024 almond pollination season, BeeHero utilized various proprietary tools to extract its dataset on bee behavior and pollination efficacy. The company introduced a Deployment Planning Tool, enabling beekeepers to visualize their almond orchards and strategically plan daily tasks for maximum efficiency. Additionally, its Hive Tracker offers growers real-time insights into hive shipment and placement, while BeeHero’s new mobile growers platform provides growers with seamless access to hives’ frame counts and other critical information and updates.

Following the culmination of the pollination season, BeeHero is providing personalized precision pollination reports for growers with insights into bee flight hours, bee frames and how BeeHero’s data and technology have directly impacted their season. A recent study conducted by BeeHero and the USDA explored how bee colony strength and hive entrance orientation affected honey bee foraging behavior, offering actionable insights to improve pollination efficacy. The research underscores the role of BeeHero’s proprietary technology in gathering data to drive operational efficiency, reduce costs, increase yields, enhance bee welfare and promote sustainable agriculture, according to the release.

“The findings from these past pollination seasons – both in our research and in the field – highlight the profound potential of our innovative technology to revolutionize pollination practices, fostering a sustainable ecosystem that benefits both beekeepers and growers,” Yuval Regev, CTO and co-founder, said in the release. “By illuminating intricate bee behavior patterns and ecosystem dynamics, we are pioneering a new frontier in pollination science and technology.”