Pretty much everything I’ve read on beekeeping strongly suggests that one should follow one’s hive to be aware of signs of disease along with the bee’s needs. To accomplish this some sort of hive log is recommended. From spreadsheets to software I looked around at the available options. This webpage touches on some of the things around that run the gamut from simple and free to full featured and expensive:

https://beekeeping10...eekeeping-apps/

Based on how appealing I found the user interface and cost, I picked two beekeeping apps to trial, US based HiveTracks https://www.hivetracks.com/data

and UK based BeekeeperLite https://beekeeperapp...ur-mobile-apps/

HiveTracks is the more expensive option at nearly $70/year. It is cloud based, allowing your data to be shared across devices. It has a comprehensive package that makes recommendations for items to examine during hive inspections, sets up a to-do list for your inspections, and even catalogs honey production and pollinating range for your bees. The user interface is straightforward so it’s easy to enter data and pictures.

BeekeeperLight has a less glitzy user interface. It only allows one picture of your hive per visit but it seems to have all the utility of HiveTracks with respect to cataloging the status of your hive. As of now, there’s no charge. The app is supported by relatively unobtrusive advertising. This is likely to change to subscription with a planned optional update that will make the app cloud based. 

 

 

 

 

 

I plan to play with these apps over the next month and find the most useful one. 

 

Apparently these programs have blossomed since the early 2000’s. There seem to be dozens. The most comprehensive (and expensive) ones are geared toward the commercial beekeeper with tools for disease surveillance, feeding, breeding, and honey management. I guess they don’t see the beauty of following a little insect that doesn’t make a money crop but underpins our ecological niches🤷🏾‍♂️

I’m curious, do any other beekeepers on the forum use digital hive management logs or apps? If so, what do you use?

While i don't do bees, i have been in the tech sector of work most of my life. My advice here is really generic and may not bear as much weight for something simple enough.

My advice to everyone on everything  tech is:

1: Take a balanced approach to leveraging technology in whatever you do, don't get too overly dependent on it. Implement use of tech in smaller stages, building up, rather than start with all the bells and whistles up front.

Basically my own xp is that a lot of technology that can help in whatever,  also comes with it's own overhead for use. And not all tech being sold comes out to net gains on that front. Sometimes the effort of implementing and using the tech is itself the same or more effort, than the work it was here to off load/the problems it was here to avoid.

i.e.

if we're exerting/spending X over time to avoid Y problem's cost or work effort.

This is only making sense as long as the total of X over time is < Y would have been to just clean up/deal with/do the work manually as needed.

2: I generally won't implement a technology aid/automation on something, unless i have manual mastery of that something already.

I make use of tech to be sure, but my implementation strategy is to leverage tech to replace efforts i already have command of personally. In this way anything i am using tech for, i already have the  understanding of. I can act as manual backup to the tech when it breaks down.

And that's a biggie to me. It's really stressful for me to basically not know what to do manually myself (automatically from actual practice) when the tech that does it for me eventually breaks down.

So i generally only leverage automation tech for what i feel i already have manual command of.

And that's my technology use 2 cents.

Use of tech can be great, but do not assume use of tech reduces effort/costs or increase reliability of outcomes. It might, but it might just be a wash for all the learning curve and/or setup/maintenance the tech itself winds up having. And that can't really be properly gauged anyway, if you're not already familiar with the full manual version of what the work the tech is doing.

Also really been enjoying your bee journal. Thanks for keeping it.

Thanks F_F_Y! I pretty much agree with your take on the intersection of tech and ones hobbies. When I was cycling, I religiously kept logbooks of my rides, miles accumulated, and overall condition. Over the years they’ve filled a bin somewhere in my basement. My goal here was not so much to tell me what to do and when, but to serve as a digital log of my hive’s state over time. Something with easy data entry that I could access across multiple mobile devices. Believe me, my desire is to go cheap and simple (and to avoid a bin full of logbooks in the basement  ). I’m also curious to see how other beekeepers on the forum do things. Thanks for reading! I’ll try to keep it fun and not overdo it.