Boris Baer

Following massive colony loss in early 2025, new methods analyzing temperature data help beekeepers predict issues in the hive

tomwt — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 15:28:09 +0000

Following massive colony loss in early 2025, new methods analyzing temperature data help beekeepers predict issues in the hive tomwt Mon, 06/02/2025 - 08:28 More CNAS in the Media Katelyn Burns | The California Aggie May 30, 2025

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE - Project Apis m. reported massive colony loss in early 2025, estimating around 1.6 million colonies lost in a report from April — a large number considering the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimated the total number of United States colonies is 2.7 million. While there have been continuous losses of 30 to 50% in previous years — such as a colony collapse disorder first noted in 2006 — the recent losses have been especially drastic, drawing concern regarding food security, among other things.

While research to identify the cause of this most recent colony loss is ongoing, past research shows that bee decline is often driven by pests, pathogens, pesticides and poor nutrition.

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In a paper published in early 2025 in the Association for Computing Machinery Transactions on Knowledge Discovery from Data journal, a team developed a system utilizing low-cost sensors to predict problems in the hive.

The team included Shamima Hossain, a Ph.D. candidate in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UC Riverside, Dr. Christos Faloutsos, a professor in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Boris Baer, a professor of entomology at UC Riverside, Dr. Hyoseung Kim, an associate professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and the chair of the computer engineering program at UC Riverside, and Dr. Vassilis Tsotras, a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UC Riverside, discussed their system and their decision to focus on temperature.

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Department of Entomology

Boris Baer

Smart sensors help beekeepers monitor hive health

tomwt — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 21:24:36 +0000

Smart sensors help beekeepers monitor hive health tomwt Wed, 03/05/2025 - 13:24 More CNAS in the Media Sanjana Gajbhiye | Earth.com March 05, 2025

EARTH.COM - Honeybees have been indispensable to agriculture for centuries. Their role in pollination supports food production, contributing to the growth of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and coffee. Without bees and proper hive health, many crops would struggle, leading to food shortages.

But bee populations are shrinking due to bad weather, chemicals, and pests. This harms nature and makes life harder for beekeepers who need healthy bees for honey and farming.

Beekeepers face increasing challenges in maintaining hive health. External stressors disrupt colonies, making it difficult for bees to survive.

Traditional methods of monitoring hive conditions rely on experience and judgment. While valuable, these methods are not always precise. Scientists and engineers have now introduced a data-driven approach to help beekeepers make informed decisions and prevent colony collapse.

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A research team from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science and the University of California, Riverside has developed a system to monitor hive health more accurately.

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Center for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER)

Department of Entomology

Boris Baer

Waggle wars: Honeybees’ dance moves boost food hunts for the hive - Study

tomwt — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:03:49 +0000

Waggle wars: Honeybees’ dance moves boost food hunts for the hive - Study tomwt Wed, 02/26/2025 - 08:03 More CNAS in the Media Maria Mocerino | Interesting Engineering February 25, 2025

INTERESTING ENGINEERING - In light of the diminishing number of honeybees, a computer science team from UC Riverside has developed the technology to improve beehive health in commercial settings.

“Over the last year, the U.S. lost over 55% of its honeybee colonies,” Boris Baer, UCR professor of entomology, told UC Riverside News.

“We are experiencing a major collapse of bee populations, and that is extremely worrying because about one-third of what we eat depends on bees.”

Along with the sensor from UC Riverside that se to support beekeeping, bolstering a form of communication that aids the bees in their survival might increase their chances.

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Bees

Boris Baer

Center for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER)

Why bees have one of the most important jobs in America

Site Factory admin — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 16:45:00 +0000

Why bees have one of the most important jobs in America Site Factory admin Fri, 03/13/2020 - 09:45 More CNAS in the Media "In Focus" staff | In Focus March 10, 2020

IN FOCUS - The bee population is declining and experts say that’s a serious issue because they provide us with a very important service … pollination.

Professor Boris Baer of UC Riverside talks about how 1/3 of the food grown in the U.S. is pollinated by bees, a process necessary for plants to reproduce.

Baer says traditionally, beekeepers loose approximately 16-20 percent of their hives every winter, but recently that number has risen to 40 percent.

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Department of Entomology

Boris Baer

Bees