How to Easily Measure Humidity in your Hives

As an authority on Beekeeping and hive management techniques, we have vast experience in knowing what works best to keep bees safe and healthy. To that end, it is quite useful to know just what your in hive humidity levels are. Especially at critical times of the year, like winter, where the honey bees are less likely or even unable to adequately regulate the conditions as they would in warmer seasons. We have extensively researched and tested various hygrometers to ensure that we recommend only the best. Our recommendations are based on experience and performance, and we aim to ensure that the products we recommend deliver the desired results to beekeepers.

Whether you are a avid beekeeper, or a homesteader focused on managing a few hives for self-sufficiency who is keen on learning how to manage your hives effectively. You may benefit significantly from this recommendation as it could help you accurately measure humidity and identify if you need to take extra measures with ventilation to avoid issues such as excess condensation, mold, mildew and a potentially colony threatening damp winter cluster within your beehives.

How should we utilize the temperature and humidity data of a beehive? Honey bees maintain their brood at temperatures of 33-35 degrees Celsius, or about 91.4 to 95F. It is also the case that the bees must warm up their flight muscles to at least that
temperature to begin flying activities (Seeley, 2010). Honey bee eggs require high humidity, at a minimum of 55% to hatch, and do best at higher humidity of between 90 and 95%. (Doull, 1976).

Honeybees have hygroreceptors on their antennae that serve to detect relative humidity and vapor pressure deficit (vapor pressure deficit is a measurement of how much more water the atmosphere can hold, when saturated, than it currently holds) (Ellis, 2008). Within the hive, optimal humidity may vary depending on the
bees’ activity. Brood cells, brood nest, honey super, and winter cluster area, each need to be considered.

Perhaps not as well known, is the reproductive success of Varroa parasitic mites decreases with increasing humidity (Kraus and Velthuis, 1997). Sharply contrasting to the high humidity levels within the honeycomb cells (containing larvae or eggs), bees engaging in activities like brood-rearing, will fan to reduce the humidity in the brood nest, maintaining it at 40%-60% (Ellis), 60%-70% (Huang). Additional humidity to the colony environment comes from the jelly and nectar fed to the larvae, nurse bee respiration and cuticular loss. It appears that low humidity is not typically a problem in the brood area. Also, bees will cool the
brood, if necessary, by distributing water around the brood chamber and evaporating it by fanning. Of additional interest is during nectar gathering, bees evaporate the water in nectar by fanning and using their proboscis, a sort of tongue lashing technique.

In winter bees metabolize the sugars in the honey to obtain energy, producing Carbon Dioxide and water in the process, which bees emit by respiration. Some of that water vapor is removed
from the hive by ventilation, the remainder condenses on the cold interior surfaces of the hive. As it turns out 40 pounds of honey (which might be about a typical well loaded honey super), when metabolized, produces a total of 26.9 pounds of water, or over 3 gallons -Bee Culture (Linton, 2015).

Proper ventilation may help ensure that this water plays a positive role in the bees surviving the winter. Just enough ventilation will remove both carbon dioxide and water vapor from the hive. Too much ventilation will require that the bees make an extra effort to warm themselves and may increase their need for water by speeding their desiccation. Too little ventilation will reduce the available oxygen, allow carbon dioxide to build up, and encourage condensation, possibly in undesirable locations.

Depending on the temperature, the condensate may freeze where it forms or even drip to a lower position before eventually freezing. Later, it may melt and continue on a route where gravity leads. Water on the inner cover may drip down onto the winter cluster, wetting and killing the bees, so having a well-insulated hive top is important. The Homestead Essentials Hive Top Cover (2 Pack) is an excellent place to start. Water on the walls of the hive will run down the sides of the hive and out. You may see it on the bottom board or with a screened bottom board, on the mite board. While we have not personally felt a need to use a quilt box, many beekeepers in colder climates have found success using them as an additional way to mitigate the condensation problems in a large overwintering cluster.

Considering how both the tasks and needs within the colony vary in the different seasons, we believe with good monitoring,  perceptive beekeepers could, discern when they were engaging in these environmental control activities and enhance the colony’s efforts with actions of their own. Specifically, adjusting entrance sizes with entrance reducers, mouse guards (winter), to sheltering the hive from sun and wind, adding insulation, and adding or removing additional shelter from the elements.

Today’s colony monitoring technology can be leveraged utilizing sensors as a way to monitor ventilation processes or activities; including Digital Temperature and Humidity sensors.

After suitable research and testing, we are confident in our pick, the Govee Hygrometer Thermometer Wireless 2-pack Bundle. It is a digital humidity temperature sensor with app notification alerts and two years of data storage. You can place the sensor within the hive, and monitor it outside the hive, and with this two-pack you can use to simultaneously monitor two colonies. This model even allows you to export the data in a common comma separated value format (.CSV) for ease of viewing within your favorite spreadsheet application.

The Govee Hygrometer Thermometer is our top pick because it offers the following benefits:

1. Wireless monitoring: The monitor connects to your phone via Bluetooth, which means you can access your hive from your phone without any physical contact.

2. Real-time data: The device provides real-time humidity and temperature data, allowing you to take action promptly when necessary.

3. Alert notifications: The app sends notifications when the humidity or temperature goes above or below the desired levels, which helps to prevent mold and mildew from developing by allowing prompt action.

4. Easy to use: The device is easy to set up and use, even for beginners.

For those beekeepers with just one colony to monitor we found the single pack model: Govee WiFi Thermometer Hygrometer H5179, Smart Humidity Temperature Sensor with App Notification Alert, 2 Years Free Data Storage Export

We have located a few alternative choices. for those who want a smaller, less intrusive form factor. One alternative is the mini-version-  Govee Hygrometer Thermometer, Wireless Thermometer, Mini Bluetooth Humidity Sensor with Notification Alert, Data Storage and Export, 262 Feet Connecting Range.  This is also available in a single pack for just one hive, and is super affordable.

If you want something simpler without app connectivity and really don’t care for wireless interfacing, you could get the entirely self-contained Wale & Morn Mini Hygrometer Thermometer Digital LCD Monitor. It is a budget-friendly option that offers more basic features, albeit with a shorter range, since it is placed within the hive for a short while, then removed and viewed manually via it’s LCD Display. The conveniently sized in a smaller form factor so it would take up less space. However, with bees tendency to propolis foreign objects, this would only be for a short term use case.

In summary, we recommend the Govee Hygrometer Thermometer Wireless 2-pack Bundle as the ideal product to easily measure humidity in your hives. With features such as wireless monitoring, real-time data, alert notifications, and ease of use, it delivers on its promise to help you manage your hives effectively.

 

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