Steps for Properly Using the Bee Health Guru App for Sampling Bee Colonies
The sampling goal is to obtain a good quality recording for each colony. Let the app conduct a recording and analysis, and then inspect the hive to either confirm, refine, or reject the app's initial analyses. Don't forget to upload everything to the Cloud so that we can use the data to tune the app for accuracy.
Acoustic Sampling Steps for Smartphones and Tablets:
Tips:
Materials:
Preparation:
Sampling (Recording) Steps:
The sampling goal is to obtain a good quality recording for each colony. Let the app conduct a recording and analysis, and then inspect the hive to either confirm, refine, or reject the app's initial analyses. Don't forget to upload everything to the Cloud so that we can use the data to tune the app for accuracy.
Acoustic Sampling Steps for Smartphones and Tablets:
Tips:
- Pick a time of day when bees are busy foraging.
- Turn off auto-rotate in phone’s settings to keep the record button at the top; increase screen brightness, and increase the sound level of the beeps that indicate that a recording has started and stopped.
- Record undisturbed hives – do not smoke, do not open hive, do not run noisy engines, do not talk.
- For a few hives, insert the microphone end of a phone (bottom) or tablet (often at the top) into hive entrance, with start button facing out, set phone on bottom board, then push start.
- For multiple hives, consider using an external microphone like the Rode Smart Lav+ or the Dayton Audio EMM-6. In both cases, set the phone down on a stable surface and push start when bees settle.
- Insert the microphone into the entrance of the hive, work from side, and do not stand in front of the hive.
- Try to ease the microphone close to the center of the bee colony cluster.
- For first use, record one or a few colonies, save analysis results, fill out inspection forms and save, and then upload using wireless.
- Do not spend hours recording colonies to discover your internet connection is slow or will not upload more than a few recordings at a time.
Materials:
- Smartphone with the app installed (it is best to place the app on the home screen).
- For recording many hives, consider taking a portable charger and cable.
- Electronic or alcohol wipes to clean phone or microphone tip as needed.
- Water-resistant Markers, Numbered Tags (e.g., cattle ear tags), or Bar Code stickers for Hive I.D.
- Bee-Veil, Bee Jacket, or Full Bee Suit,
- Lightweight bee gloves or light-colored disposable gloves (nitrile, vinyl, etc.).
- Do not wear black gloves! Dark colors greatly increase stinging behavior.
Preparation:
- Charge phone and phone charger overnight.
- Check that you have the newest version of the app downloaded and installed on the phone.
- Practice using the app at a desk or table until you fully understand the basic sampling steps.
Sampling (Recording) Steps:
- Turn on and open phone or tablet; find the icon for the bee health guru app.
- Touch the app icon; the app should open and bring up a start screen,
- Insert the microphone end of phone or tablet into the hive entrance, setting the device on the bottom board – do not hold in your hand while recording.
- Tap the record button (it is at the top of the screen, the orange and grey bull's eye button),
- The phone will beep, begin recording, count down to 30 or 60 seconds) and beep when finished.
- A 30-second recording should suffice; a 60-second recording may provide a better result.
- Let the phone save the recording (automatic) and automatically analyze (~ 15 seconds) the recording.
- The phone will beep; show “Scan Complete.”
- Remove phone from the hive, look at results (initially these may or may not be accurate – that is part of the tuning process).
- Touch Hive Description/ID, enter a simple, unique hive number,
- Use either your initials or email name plus a number for each hive for Hive Description/ID.
- If you use bar codes for hive id, you can tap the bar code icon and use the camera to capture the hive ID – no need to type.
- Provide the name you use for the location (e.g., Home, Smith Farm, Creekside)
- The app itself will add the date, time, and GPS location.
- Touch Save and the phone/tablet will save the recording and AI analysis results.
- Touch Report and you can fill out a simple colony inspection report, or
- Touch the Back Arrow to go to Hive Reports, and Touch the Back Arrow again to start a new recording.
- For Reports, the percentage is the AI result shown on the red/blue bars, the question (? ) provides help.
- Buttons at the bottom of the screen allow the addition of notes, pictures, check completion, save.
- Use Back Arrow to return to the home screen to exit the app or start a new recording.
- The app records and analyzes each hive then allows for an immediate inspection (one hive) or the option to record all colonies, then return to fill out inspection reports.
- It is best to record every colony at a location before using a smoker and opening hives to inspect.
- When you are in the range of a fast internet connection, using the Cloud button on the home screen to upload everything.
- Be sure to enable wireless for uploading; we do not recommend using slow cellular services.
- With either cellular service or wireless, the honey bee icon bottom of screen links to www.beehealth.guru.
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