Records / information recorded on the apiary

[Epcot]

I'm interested in experiences and practices of small, medium and large beekeepers ... do you record certain information by hive? regular checkups? production? weather? varoa? anything?

do you write all on paper? on hive? some software?
how useful is writing of the infos for you?

I believe that a lot of times (at least those with a lot of hives) it is to hard work and record information at the same time because you only have two hands. If someone assists you - you will probably prefer to help you physically and not just typing on your cell phone or written down on paper.

Here I am interested in the relevance of recording information, how you do it and how much is it useful?

Thx much

 

[Hivemaker.]

do you write all on paper? on hive? some software?

On the beehive, but most info i remember, i have a good memory.

 

[Tim1606]

We have a sheet for each apiary. This is carried on a clip board and needs only simple ticks and a place for notes at the end.
This is because i have a poor memory.
At the end of the week when i have a few minutes these get put on the pooter. A few minutes work.

PM me if you want to look at the template.

 

[PBee]

Hive record book with each hive numbered and the number staying with the queen. Then shorthand notes at each visit to include state of brood, stores, temper, steadiness, anything added or taken away etc.

 

[dclewis]

In France, (and I sort of assumed it was the EC too) I believe there is a legal requirement to keep records of all hive internventions and treatments including the batch nos of all treatments administered and of course records on the honey batches produced, like where they came from how big they are and when they were bottled etc. (Tracability of a food product) After that the fine detail of each visit, the queens in use etc is a matter of choice and up to individuals to decide how much is useful and worth collecting and analysing.

 

[QueenMaster]

Hi,

In France, regarding you have one hive or thousands, Bees are considered as livestock and should be manage with a livestock register including:

- Apiaries (location, hives...)
- Hive moves
- origin of the bee (buy in, or self rearing)
- buyers of bees (sales)
- feeding (including origin of the food)
- treatment (including origin of the drugs)
- manipulation
- diseases
- harvest
- self hives checkups
- veterinay checkups
-
...
Each hive is registered and tracked.

You have nice examples, type "Registre élevage Apiculture" in Google and get the Translation.

la-sca.net/IMG/pdf/registre_elevage_site_SCA.pdf

mouche.avesnoise.free.fr/IMG/pdf/registre_adf.pdf


Cheers,

 

[enrico]

I write notes on my note app on my ipad after I get back to the house but even with five hives I find it difficult to remember, my main notes on when a hive swarms, new queen and if marked get written on the side of the brood box in permanent ink with the date! That way I never get it wrong!
E

 

[Finman]

.
I have looked some manual and coputer records and their aim is mostly select good breeding hives.
Most data is odd and I do not understand why to use time to it.

When we think annual works, there are some periodical goals like

- spring build up and enlargening
- swarming time
- harvest and extracting
- late summer, size decreasing and preparing for winter feeding
- queen data

- nucs and mating nucs

 

[Finman]

I write notes on my note app on my ipad after I get back to the house but even with five hives I find it difficult to remember, my main notes on when a hive swarms, new queen and if marked get written on the side of the brood box in permanent ink with the date! That way I never get it wrong!
E

You may put a cartong card under hive roof . Then you know where is records.

 

[enrico]

Good idea finman, thanks

 

[Luminos]

I scribble the notes for each hive on a mini whiteboard, then transfer them to a notebook over tea and a slice of cake/stiff drink (depending on how the bees temperament was).