An inner cover for a beehive and methods of making the inner cover in accordance with the present disclosure are primarily characterized by a substantially rigid base and a substantially rigid banding defining a volume within the inner cover. The base includes one or more ventilation openings which may optionally be covered by a screening material. The screening material, or the ventilation openings themselves, may be selectively blockable and unblockable by bees through the use of available materials such as propolis or beeswax. Self-variation by the bees of ventilation within the inner cover controls air circulation and temperature regulation, improving the survivability of the bees within a beehive as outside temperatures vary and allowing for year-round use. Food may be placed upon the ventilation openings, screening material, or surrounding structure, allowing bees to feed and regulate their environment without the risks of breaking cluster.

A system to detect the passage of a small animal through an opening. The system includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor arranged sequentially along a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the opening. Each of the capacitors includes two electrodes arranged on the outside of the opening and having substantially a U shape. An evaluation unit is electrically connected to the two capacitors to evaluate the change in capacitance of at least one of the two capacitors produced by the passage of an animal through the opening.

A system to detect the passage of a small animal through an opening. The system includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor arranged sequentially along a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the opening. Each of the capacitors includes two electrodes arranged on the outside of the opening and having substantially a U shape. An evaluation unit is electrically connected to the two capacitors to evaluate the change in capacitance of at least one of the two capacitors produced by the passage of an animal through the opening.

An apiary tool for breaking free and vertically lifting, removing, inspecting and transporting a frame from a bee hive box. The apiary tool having one or more handles, a cross member and one or more lever cams, where a lever cam includes a cam that slides underneath a bee hive frame top bar and an arcuate rolling surface. Rotation of a handle providing dual action that forces the arcuate rolling surface to hold down an adjacent frame while the lever cam pushes upward on the desired frame.

An apiary tool for breaking free and vertically lifting, removing, inspecting and transporting a frame from a bee hive box. The apiary tool having one or more handles, a cross member and one or more lever cams, where a lever cam includes a cam that slides underneath a bee hive frame top bar and an arcuate rolling surface. Rotation of a handle providing dual action that forces the arcuate rolling surface to hold down an adjacent frame while the lever cam pushes upward on the desired frame.

A system controls climate and eliminates unwanted moisture within a honey beehive during low temperature conditions that promote condensate and mold inside of the beehives. The system comprises at least one humidistat being adapted to measure temperature and humidity inside the beehive, a first fan adapted to generate an air flow in at least a portion of the beehive, a heating element being installed in the bottom board of the beehive, and a second fan adapted to increase the air flow in another portion of the beehive, wherein the ventilation circuit controls the second fan according to the measured temperature and humidity condition. The system condenses and eliminates moisture produced by the bees' metabolism which otherwise may be deposited on the internal surface of the beehive as frost and later thaw, causing droplets of cold water to fall on the clustered bees.

A system controls climate and eliminates unwanted moisture within a honey beehive during low temperature conditions that promote condensate and mold inside of the beehives. The system comprises at least one humidistat being adapted to measure temperature and humidity inside the beehive, a first fan adapted to generate an air flow in at least a portion of the beehive, a heating element being installed in the bottom board of the beehive, and a second fan adapted to increase the air flow in another portion of the beehive, wherein the ventilation circuit controls the second fan according to the measured temperature and humidity condition. The system condenses and eliminates moisture produced by the bees' metabolism which otherwise may be deposited on the internal surface of the beehive as frost and later thaw, causing droplets of cold water to fall on the clustered bees.

A hivetop incubator stimulates dormant solitary bees to emerge at the appropriate time to pollinate orchard and field crops. The hivetop incubator utilizes the heat produced by a colony of honeybees. It comprises an insulated incubation chamber with a lid and a screened base. The hivetop incubator is placed over the open top of a beehive containing a honeybee colony. Heat generated by nurse honeybees to maintain temperatures within the brood nest rises into the incubation chamber. Dormant solitary bees in cocoons are placed within the incubation chamber and are stimulated by the warmth to emerge rapidly. The active bees leave the incubation chamber thru exits and are thus available in the orchard or field for pollination.

A hivetop incubator stimulates dormant solitary bees to emerge at the appropriate time to pollinate orchard and field crops. The hivetop incubator utilizes the heat produced by a colony of honeybees. It comprises an insulated incubation chamber with a lid and a screened base. The hivetop incubator is placed over the open top of a beehive containing a honeybee colony. Heat generated by nurse honeybees to maintain temperatures within the brood nest rises into the incubation chamber. Dormant solitary bees in cocoons are placed within the incubation chamber and are stimulated by the warmth to emerge rapidly. The active bees leave the incubation chamber thru exits and are thus available in the orchard or field for pollination.

A multilayer artificial honeycomb is disclosed, which comprises an operation module, a honeycomb module and a honey-storing module which are arranged from top to down; wherein the honeycomb module is connected to and driven by the operation module; the honeycomb module communicates with the honey-storing module; the honeycomb module includes a lattice assembly, beeswax and propolis; the lattice assembly is moved by an external force applied to the operation module, in such a way that honey inside the multilayer artificial honeycomb flows downwardly into the honey-storing module. The multilayer artificial honeycomb of the present application can be used for a long period of time, omitting the steps in the traditional honey gathering processes, reducing cost, simplifying the process, and meanwhile avoiding disturbance to normal activities of bees; therefore, beekeeping can be widespread, and the global ecological balance can be maintained.