Beekeeping software

[Bryn]

Does anyone know of any dedicated beekeeping software? At present I am keeping logs in an Excel file, but I think there has to be something better.

[Joel]

Mynista has a good program called Beekeeper 3.0(Hobby and Pro) and is palm pilot adaptable for field work. it's incredibly cheap too. I don't have the link but search on Google, you'll find it. It has a trial version so you can try it 1st. Hobby covers up to 150 hives, Pro is unlimited. It covers yards, hives, weather, meds, production, stock and such and is easy to use. Gee I should get a cut for the infomercial!

[Robert Hawkins]

Are you sure Joel? I searched and Mynista is a Cristian rapper who used to be named Docta Wuzdead.

Hawk

[Tobikiri]

I found it at www.mynista.com (http://www.mynista.com)
However, it's not incredibly cheap. At all. At least in my opinion. The Hobby Version is $106 USD!! I didn't even bother to look at the bigger versions (They have Pro and Colony versions that handle more hives).
With only two hives, I think I'll stick with my journal.

[Scott Griffith]

My experience with all the ones I could find to download what that they were good at collecting information, but poor on providing a way to use the information. They generally provide only the ability to print list of one thing at a time. (i.e. locations, hives, queens, inspections, etc.) It would be nice to be able to pick a location and print a list of hives, show any "to-do" items, etc.

[Joel]

Tobkiri- for a specialized program like this that has this kind of function that price is Cheap. Microsoft gets more than this for programs that will sell mass quantities. I quess it's a matter of perspective.

[BeeBear]

I think it's a matter of filling a need for the individual beekeeper or company. The purchase price is just the beginning of the investment; more significant is the time and effort to gather and enter the data the program needs. I'll admit that I don't keep records at that level of detail, and I don't feel the need to do so. If I did, then perhaps this type of software would appeal to me.

I can see how it would be valuable to a larger operation, but on the other hand I see it being a much bigger job to collect and enter the information on an ongoing basis. I'm not sure if the benefit would outweigh the ongoing effort.

My advice to anyone contemplating using a tool like this is to take full advantage of their trial period and be sure you have the discipline to collect the necessary data. If you buy a product and then discover that you're unable or unwilling to invest the time at each hive inspection to collect and enter the data, it will be worthless.

[Joel]

A very good point beebear, the time to acurately gather AND field record information and then transfer it is the single most limiting factor.

[BeeBear]

What I need is a system that does voice recognition while I'm working the bees and enters the information at that point, with no further work from me. That's about the only way that I would be faithful keeping the database up to date, and even then I would have to remember to turn it on and actually TALK, so as absent minded as I am, even that might be too much to ask.

I've seen several programs that say they support Palm Pilot or similar gear, and while that sounds good in theory, I just can't see myself using a stylus to scratch on a small handheld device out in the field. If anyone is successfully doing this, I'd be interested in your feedback.

[jalal]

you can couple it was a VR program like Dragon Natural speak or something like that

[Joel]

Not to mention do you want honey in your palm pilot. Jalal if we were that smart we wouldn't be keeping bees now would we!

[odfrank]

I had so much propolis on my fingers yesterday from just popping covers, that I could not even use a pen without first cleaning up with laquer thinner. So much for trying to use a palm pilot during inspections.

[Michael Bush]

>I had so much propolis on my fingers yesterday from just popping covers, that I could not even use a pen without first cleaning up with laquer thinner. So much for trying to use a palm pilot during inspections.

My feelings exactly. smile.gif

[George Fergusson]

>I had so much propolis on my fingers yesterday from just popping covers, that I could not even use a pen without first cleaning up with laquer thinner. So much for trying to use a palm pilot during inspections.

>My feelings exactly.

I've taken to carrying a portable battery-operated tape recorder to the apiary with me. Very handy, I can operate the buttons with my hive tool and record my notes. Later, back at the ranch, I can transcribe the relevant stuff and laugh about the irrelevant stuff while sipping coffee.

George-

[Michael Bush]

I just use Burkes Ready-date calendars and use the pins to show what's up. I also use the pins for a few other things. If a hive is, in my opinion, more agressive than I like, I put a red pin on the lid. If it's still agressive I put another in. If it happens again, I requeen. I figure any might have a bad day.

The calendar allows me to mark if it's a laying queen, a virgin queen, a queen cell, or queenless. I can mark a date, which could be the last inspection, or in the case of a mating nuc, the day I expect to see eggs. I can also flag if the hive needs something. It beats getting propolis all over some fancy electronic device. smile.gif And frankly the information is instantly available when I inspect next time.

[organicbeekeeper]

http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/ good information and some software

[beegee]

Check this out for PC:

http://apimo.dk/product.htm

[timgoodin]

[QUOTE=Michael Bush;8618]I just use Burkes Ready-date calendars and use the pins to show what's up.

Sounds like a good idea to me. I forget from one hive to another which is which and I only had 3 or 4 last year.

What is a Burkes Ready-date calendar? Where do you get one at?

Tim

[Jorn Johanesson]

Place your palmpilot on a woden plate using burtape. The welvet on your palmpilot not covering the reset hole.

use a used-up rollerinkpen fastened to the plate with a string to use on the palmpilot as a stylus or use an extra stylus for this. Rember the string, because if not you will for sure loose it to a hive :-) Stapple a peace of plastic to cover the plate in case of rain.
now you can use your palmpilot without get it smeared with honey or propolis.

best regards Jorn Johanesson

[cleareyes]

Check out Apitrack

[KES]

Looks like Chixion, the maker of Beekeeper 3.0 has closed it's doors. I downloaded the hobbiest trial and had a question, after typing it all out I found out that the "send comments" button doesn't work. I found the maker of the software, Chixion, I decided to email them. That email just bounced back with this:

Technical details of permanent failure:
PERM_FAILURE: Gmail tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. The error that the other server returned was: 550 550 No Such User Here. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. Thanks for your continued support. (state 14)

[mhenson]

I am the founder and developer of Hive Tracks (http://www.hivetracks.com), a simple but powerful online application for beekeepers. We are very interested in this thread. We have toyed with the idea of adding a small device interface but being beekeepers ourselves see the folly in it. That device would not last very long nor would my temper. By time my already fat fingers entered something useful on a tiny keypad while looking through my vail, and sometimes with thick gloves I could have scrached it down on paper then tansfered it to Hive Tracks (http://www.hivetracks.com)in the comfort of my home office. Give Hive Tracks (http://www.hivetracks.com)a try. Its still new so we are lacking some core features but they are coming.