Models of the Thermal Condition of Winter Aggregation of Bees with Electric Heaters Installed in the Hive

Abstract

Of on factors of high productivity of a bee family is successful wintering. However, there are problems related to availability of food: in cold season bees may not get honey deposited in the frames located close to the outer hive walls, dramatic spring temperature fluctuations stimulate bees to earlier activity and they may fill the intestinal tract earlier. To promote successful wintering, beekeepers use electric heating. Despite the obvious advantages of additional heating of bees, there are also drawbacks: it is possible to provoke the queen for the early sowing of larvae, increased consumption of honey by the bee family may occur, there are additional costs for the consumed electrical energy. The article considers models of thermal and other physical processes occurring in the hive during the winter. The obtained models allow to: optimize energy costs for heating, reduce temperature fluctuations inside the hive, reduce the energy consumption of bees to maintain the microclimate. Validation of implementation of the algorithms in the system of automatic heating, based on the proposed models, showed the following: there is a good quality match of simulated and empiric temperature fields in the hives, there was a decrease in honey consumption by bees, hazard of drizzle was minimized.