BTV BroadMinder® video camera for beehives.

BroodMinder BeeTV is a hive video camera specifically designed to operate inside the hive, just a few centimetres from the bees. It allows the beekeeper to observe, photograph and record colony activity directly in the brood nest, reducing the need to open the hive for certain observations.

Unlike an external camera, BeeTV is installed next to the frames and is designed to capture close-up images of bees, cells and brood. Its 5-megapixel camera features adjustable manual focus, allowing the observation distance to be adapted to view anything from eggs and larvae to adult bees or small details on their bodies.

Real-time viewing is available from a smartphone or tablet using the BroodMinder Bees app. BeeTV creates its own direct WiFi connection to the mobile device, allowing the beekeeper to check the image, adjust the focus, configure the camera and review recordings before leaving it installed inside the hive.

Observe inside the hive without opening it continuously

• Allows direct observation of bee behaviour inside the colony.
• Facilitates visual monitoring of the brood area and the development of the frames.
• Allows observation of eggs, larvae, cells, adult bees and small details by adjusting the focus.
• Helps compare colony activity over time using scheduled photographs and videos.
• Reduces unnecessary hive inspections when only visual observation is required.
• Particularly useful for professional beekeepers, research, queen selection, training and studies of bee behaviour.

Programmable photos and videos

BeeTV does not need to stream video continuously. The beekeeper can schedule automatic photo and video capture by setting the interval between recordings, video duration and other acquisition parameters. This scheduled operation makes it possible to document what happens inside the hive over long periods while consuming much less battery power than continuous streaming.

The app allows the beekeeper to select photo or video capture, adjust recording duration, change the interval between captures and control the lighting and LED intensity.

Adjustable focus for observing different areas

The lens features adjustable manual focus. The manufacturer provides different approximate distances depending on what is being observed: approximately 14 mm for eggs and larvae, 20 mm for cells, 24 mm for bees and around 34 mm for details the size of mites. Final adjustment is made while viewing the live image on the smartphone.

This allows the camera to be positioned at the most useful point for each application, from brood monitoring to detailed observation of bee behaviour on the comb.

Integrated lighting inside the hive

The camera is equipped with LED lighting to capture images in the dark environment inside a hive. The current configuration allows white or infrared lighting to be controlled from the app and its intensity adjusted during image capture. Available lighting modes may vary depending on the device version.

Recordings available on smartphone, USB or MyBroodMinder

Photos and videos are stored locally on BeeTV's internal memory card. They can then be retrieved directly from a smartphone, copied to a compatible USB drive or automatically uploaded to MyBroodMinder when a previously configured local WiFi network is available at the hive location.

This means BeeTV can also be used in apiaries without a permanent Internet connection: images remain stored on the device until the beekeeper downloads them.

Connectivity specifically designed for the apiary

• Bluetooth BLE to detect, pair and control the device from the Bees app.
• Direct WiFi created by BeeTV for real-time video viewing, settings and file downloads.
• Optional connection to a local WiFi network for automatically uploading photos and videos to MyBroodMinder.

Live viewing uses a direct WiFi connection between BeeTV and the smartphone, so it should not be confused with an IP camera designed to stream video continuously over the Internet. To preserve battery life, live viewing is intended mainly for configuration, checking and inspection.

Installation in Dadant, Langstroth and other hive formats

BroodMinder has developed different mounting systems using the same BeeTV electronics. The horizontal system is specially designed for Langstroth hives and allows the camera to slide along a rail to change the area being observed.

The vertical mounting system offers greater versatility and can be adapted to numerous hive formats, including Dadant, Langstroth, Warré and Layens. With this mounting system, the camera is fixed to the lower part of the frame using a compact bracket.

With vertical mounting, the protective window in front of the camera is removable, a particularly practical feature inside a hive where propolis, pollen or wax may accumulate over time.

Rechargeable battery and autonomous operation

BeeTV incorporates a 4200 mAh rechargeable battery. The manufacturer indicates a capacity of up to approximately two cumulative hours of photo and video capture per charge. By using periodic recordings instead of continuous video, battery life can extend to several months, depending mainly on the number and duration of images scheduled each day.

The unit is supplied charged and ready to be configured using the Bees app. To maximise battery life, it is advisable to schedule only the necessary recordings and use live video viewing only during configuration or when an inspection is required.

Varroa observation

BeeTV's resolution and close-focus capability allow detailed observation of bees and operation at suitable distances for viewing objects the size of mites. BroodMinder is using this technology to develop automatic recognition and counting systems for Varroa destructor, but automatic Varroa counting should not currently be considered a guaranteed feature of the device.

BeeTV is therefore an advanced visual hive monitoring tool that allows the beekeeper to get closer than ever to the inside of the colony and maintain a photographic and video record of its development without having to remove the frames during every observation.

Technical specifications:

• Brand: BroodMinder®.
• Model: BeeTV / BTV.
• Type: digital camera for monitoring the inside of beehives.
• Area of use: inside the hive and brood nest.
• Camera: 5 megapixels.
• Maximum stated resolution: 2592 × 1944 pixels.
• Lens: 120° wide angle.
• Field of view: approximately 25 × 40 mm.
• Focus: manually adjustable from close range to infinity.
• Approximate focusing distances: eggs and larvae 14 mm, cells 20 mm, bees 24 mm and mites approximately 34 mm.
• Real-time video: viewing from smartphone or tablet using Bees App.
• Live video connection: direct WiFi between BeeTV and the mobile device.
• Bluetooth: BLE for detection, pairing and basic control.
• Local WiFi: allows automatic file uploads to MyBroodMinder when a network is available.
• Recording: photographs and videos.
• Programming: configurable capture interval and recording duration.
• Lighting: integrated LED with intensity control; white and infrared lighting according to the current configuration.
• Storage: internal memory card.
• File retrieval: smartphone, USB drive or upload via local WiFi to MyBroodMinder.
• Battery: rechargeable 4200 mAh.
• Capacity per charge: up to approximately 2 cumulative hours of photographs and videos, depending on configuration.
• Battery life: can reach several months with periodic captures, depending on the programmed frequency and duration.
• Camera module dimensions: approximately 21 × 50 × 165 mm.
• Dimensions of the housing shown: approximately 182 mm high, 88 mm total base width and 60 mm front body width.
• Main thickness shown: approximately 20 mm.
• Horizontal mounting: designed mainly for Langstroth frames.
• Vertical mounting: adaptable to different formats including Dadant, Langstroth, Warré and Layens, depending on the mounting system.
• Application: BroodMinder Bees.
• Compatible platform: MyBroodMinder.
• Automatic Varroa counting: feature under development; it should not currently be considered an operational automatic function.

BroodMinder-BeeTV is the ideal tool for beekeepers who want to see inside the hive in real time, without stressing the bees and with maximum visual accuracy.

More information and manufacturer's manual: Official BroodMinder BeeTV documentation