hivetracks?

[queenbee3074]

Has anyone out there used the web site hivetracks to keep beekeeping records? I looks like to me you mark your hives on a map and that other people would have access to where your hives are located at. Not sure I'd want everyone knowing that information, but maybe I'm not understanding it right. Other than that, wondering if it is a useful way of keeping track of things? Thanks

[Ravenzero]

The map pin is optional and you have the choice to make it public or not

[Fl_Beak]

I like the data and format of hivetracks, but I can't get past the paranoia you mention. Plus, I can get in and out of a yard in less time than it takes to enter the data on my phone for one hive,,,by the time I get home my wife/kids keep me from entering the data on a laptop...I am hoping for a decent record keeping solution to nip me in the shins, but it has not happened yet. I started using PVC top covers, and making pencil notes on each hive...so long as I don't swap covers I guess it might work for me, lol.

[Shouse]

They Have a Webinar this coming Wednesday at 3:00pm PDT google their name for more info.

[JStinson]

I started using it for my 6 hives. It's just too time consuming. I like pencil and paper better. Having said that, you can log an incredible amount of information on there.

[R Dewhurst]

wish they had software to sell that can be put in the computer, off the net. Would like to take the laptop to the bee yard and do it all on the same visit.

[queenbee3074]

Thank you all for your input. Guess I'll stick to the pencil and tablet.

[Shouse]

There's an old saying.

"You Can't Manage What you Don't Measure."

[Towers9]

I'm working on building an iPhone app that can do some of the following:

1) Schedule a task .....example feeding or treating for mites, install a queen excluder, add a super etc. Basically you define the tasks and schedule these tasks.
2) Take pictures of the hive as you are inspecting. These will be tagged with the inspection date. Later you can add notes when you get back home.
3) Keep notes on the progress of the hive.
4) Later will build an online version and be able to access the same information from your computer.

Right now I don't see the need for showing the hives on a map. I will be looking for users to test my app when it is ready in about a month. The app will be free for test users and would also like to know how much people will be willing to pay.

Please send me a PM if you are interested in testing my app (you will need to have a iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad).

[Daniel Y]

I have 9 hives from 2 yards recorded in hive tracks. I can log an inspection in about 15 seconds. building the visual of a particular hive is handy but I have a few issues with it. it does not allow for you to build nucs of any kind. You can list the number of fraems per box but that is not instant visual information that the graphic could provide.

It has no way to build any hive other than a lang.

I have had to work a bit in order to record source of queen. things like Queen produced from brood from hive 1 for example.

Otherwise as lang as I keep up with the program as I make changes to the hive it is a great tool. I tend to update it in my early am computer time. It only takes minutes unless I spent a whole lot of time messing with hives. I was able to enter two completely new hives yesterday in less than 5 minutes. I can inspect all 9 hives and log the date in less then 20 minutes.

As far as inspection data. unless you use the program live with your phone. the weather info is useless. Since I log the following morning it is no good to me.

I woudl also like to see it track blood lines of bees. Some symbol or something that would show in the graphic to show the various hives queened from a particular line.

It is a great and convenient idea but simply comes up weak in just about every detail for me.

I woudl also like to see it track details like frames that where moved up in a hive in order to checker a new box for example. I want a program that tracks my choices and indicates the results rather than just how the hive is now. You can do that with the history to some degree but it would be nice to see that graphic image over the course of time. How building up to fast in early March resulted in a colony swarming in late April and how it might have effected eventual production of that colony. Did it still produce a honey crop or just barely make it through the summer? Was it still a 6 story hive or busted back to 2 deeps?

To many important details that it simply does not help effectively get a picture of. Far better than nothing.