# Any good beekeeping apps?



## DirtyLittleSecret (Sep 10, 2014)

Hive Tracks is great (& free).


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## giarc18 (Mar 25, 2015)

Thanks I'll check it out.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

If you are a _legacy _user (opened a Hivetracks account some time ago), then currently there are no maintenance fees for Hivetracks. However, _new _users are charged a monthly fee based on the number of hives they enter into the Hivetracks system. The total fee is currently capped at $60 annually for those with lots of hives.


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## giarc18 (Mar 25, 2015)

Yes, I've discovered that. I'm not interested in any monthly fees just so I can take notes on a couple hives. Think I'll just buy a small notebook and do it the old fashioned way. Pen & paper..
Thanks


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

An "app" that some beekeepers use is simply a _brick_.  

That brick has 6 sides, and if you paint each side a different color, then that hive can be marked with with 1 of at least 6 different conditions by reorienting the brick on the hive lid. This is an easy visual way of keeping track of the condition of multiple hives in a yard.

And the brick also serves as a 'hive hold down' at the same time. 



... _bricks _are much better 'hurricane hive hold downs' than _buckets o'water_ ...


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## jamieh1257 (Apr 21, 2014)

Hi, 
I use BeeKeeper Lite on my iphone. It gives you a way to name each colony, take a pic of it and then you can enter each visit and there is a place for notes at the bottom of each entry. There are Q&A in areas such as inspections, queen info, PPD as well. So you can go down through and toggle these areas and then write in the note section specific information or actions. I used it last year on one colony and it was good for what I need. I do not know if it can be found for Android or not.


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## SowthEfrikan (Mar 2, 2015)

U


Rader Sidetrack said:


> An "app" that some beekeepers use is simply a _brick_.
> 
> That brick has 6 sides, and if you paint each side a different color, then that hive can be marked with with 1 of at least 6 different conditions by reorienting the brick on the hive lid. This is an easy visual way of keeping track of the condition of multiple hives in a yard.
> 
> ...


Genius idea. Posts like this make it worth wading through the tons of gumpf on the boards. Thank you.


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## mowarren (Nov 24, 2013)

try beetight it's free for up to 6 hives.
https://www.beetight.com/


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## FLBEEK (Jul 15, 2014)

mowarren said:


> try beetight it's free for up to 6 hives.
> https://www.beetight.com/


do you like it? 
It has 1.5 stars out of five in reviews. One of the reviewers says development has stopped, and it has bugs that won't get fixed.


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## sjj (Jan 2, 2007)

giarc18 said:


> Yes, I've discovered that. I'm not interested in any monthly fees just so I can take notes on a couple hives. Think I'll just buy a small notebook and do it the old fashioned way. Pen & paper..
> Thanks


Orage is a time-managing application.
Rednotebook is a desktop journal. 
NoteCase Pro is a note manager. 

They all may be helpful to a beekeeper.


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## mowarren (Nov 24, 2013)

I just found it and started setting it up.I'll update after I try it for awhile


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Opera came out with an application in 2005 called "Opera SoundWave". It has a range of 30 meters and can be easily tested and used without any special equipment. Opera's patent pending P2P speech technology uses analogue signals carried through open air, enabling users to communicate in real-time without the use of computers or mobile phones. SoudWave was discovered accidentally when one of the the Opera technicians said something and realized that his colleague understood him even without the use of a phone.

"Like most people, I have used e-mail and texting as my primary means of communication for many years and accepted that it is not always 100 percent effective." said Trond Werner Hansen, of Opera, "SoundWave has opened up a whole new world for me, enabling me to get things done faster and more efficiently than before - and it is remarkably easy to use."

This is a wonderful peer to peer voice system. It requires no app and no phone. You just yell at the guy across the beeyard and he yells back. It's very robust since it requires no hardware or software... 

http://www.operasoftware.com/press/...tform-independent-real-time-speech-technology


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

The communication system Michael referenced above is quite unique. It requires no batteries or charger. In fact, the system power is ordinary food - yes even _honey _will power the system. Just make sure you insert it in the correct opening.


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## jorre (Jun 22, 2015)

Hey guys, I'm a web developer who's new to beekeeping (just started this year). I'm a web developer by day and I've deployed a web app which can also be used on any smartphone with an internet connection. 

Because I'm new here I don't just want to start posting the URL, but if anyone's interested feel free to get in touch with me here. I'd be happy to set up a couple of free accounts for you. All I ask in return is that you give me some honest feedback on how to improve the app for you.


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## gnor (Jun 3, 2015)

SowthEfrikan said:


> U
> 
> Genius idea. Posts like this make it worth wading through the tons of gumpf on the boards. Thank you.


Michael Palmer's "app" is a brick and a roll of duct tape. The "data" is stored on top of the hive with a marker, and the brick is stood on end if the hive needs attention the next time he's in the yard.


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## BEEHIVEMIND (Sep 13, 2018)

You can check https://www.beehivemind.org

This is a beekeeping software which promises to make beekeeper's life easier.

Through voice recognition beehive app user can insert all inspection data only via his voice.

Reliability of voice commands in this beehive app is the major asset for beekeepers to collect data with no delays.

After inspection or harvest you can open your account at www.beehivemind.org and observe your data via diagramms and graphs.

Furthermore you can manage your bussines's costs with our financial tab.


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## Smokeybee (Mar 24, 2018)

There's a really good one for Android called Bee Health...not sure about IOS. 

It's put out by the Canadian government and has a basic run down of bee pests and diseases and how to recognize, treat and prevent them. 

It's not super detailed by design, but if you don't know what AFB means it's a good starting point.


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## ihor (Jun 13, 2018)

Try this: https://www.beeing.gr


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## Sour Kraut (Jun 17, 2012)

giarc18 said:


> Are there any good beekeeping apps for beginners with just a few hives.
> Im looking for a simple , easy to use app to keep notes and records on my hives.
> The 3-4 that I have found were too complicated or didnt make any sense the way they are laid out.
> How do you keep records for hives.?
> ...


An APP ?????

Good grief..........what on earth do you need an APP for ?

This isn't Rocket Science, not with two (going to 6) colonies.

How about a spiral-bound notebook ?

You know, the kind you (hopefully) used in Grade School ?

Divide it into as many sections as you contemplate having colonies this year.

Or get the really thin ones, one for each colony.

Make notes per colony every time you open one up.

Things like how many frames of brood, is the pattern good, how much honey they have stored in the brood box(es), if you pulled frames for a making a split, when you put supers on, when you pull honey, either full supers or individual frames, how much you pull, if you have to feed, what form, sugar boards, or liquid ( 1:1 or 2:1), general observations like 'might try raising some queens from this one'.

At the end of the year, tear out the unused pages between sections and there's your records for the year.

APP...............good grief.


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## DeepCreek (Jan 23, 2015)

I've found the more hives you acquire the less technology involved. Currently running 30 and the bricks work for me.


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## nottlerack (Jul 2, 2018)

Sour Kraut said:


> An APP ?????
> 
> Good grief..........what on earth do you need an APP for ?
> 
> ...


Living up to your moniker, it seems. If it helps people keep records, why so negative?
I like the idea of an app that can store pictures of frames for comparison over time, and also allow note entry by voice recognition. This harms no one. Change can be good. Be encouraging.


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