Artificial Intelligence in hives: a monitoring system remotely predicts flowering periods

University of Córdoba

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Credit: University of Cordoba

A monitoring system devised by the University of Cordoba ascertains the flowering stages of each hive, with high precision, exploiting data on bees' behavior

Beekeeping has existed for millennia, as evidenced by a painting in the Cueva de la Araña (Valencia), more than 8,000 years old, depicting a human figure collecting honey from a hole in a rock, with bees hovering around. This relationship between humans and bees is essential not only to obtain honey, pollen and wax, but also to conserve the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.), responsible for the pollination of thousands of crops.

The success of hives and beekeeping depends on flowering periods, which are irregular because they depend greatly on the season, rainfall, and temperatures. Reducing uncertainty and knowing the precise duration of flowering periods was the goal of a team from the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering and the Department of Zoology at the University of Cordoba, which has been working for years on hive monitoring systems providing beekeepers with accurate data in real time.

The system designed allows them to ascertain the exact flowering time for each hive, from the beginning of the day until it ends, thanks to a weight sensor. “By observing how the weight of the hive varies throughout the day, and analyzing the curve that results from the weight measurements every 5 minutes, we obtain information about the current flowering stage,” explained Andrés Gersnoviez, lead author of the work.

Contrary to what one might think, it is not only the weight gain of the bees, loaded with nectar, that reveals the moment of flowering, but also when the bees begin to leave to forage (collect), the number of bees that leave and enter the hives, and how much time they spend outside them, among other things. "If you know when the hive's minimum weight occurs, which is when they go out to look for food, and when the maximum occurs, you know that they have already returned. In addition to this, knowing if that minimum and/or maximum have a peak or valley shape, as well as the difference in weight from the beginning of the day until it ends, all together tells us how long it has taken them to return, and the success they have had in their searches, which allows us to pinpoint the flowering phase," the researcher explained.

With the data obtained from the hive sensors, the team designed a classifier using Artificial Intelligence algorithms with factors that describe the weight curve and relate that data to flowering. Once they hade met their objective, they went further. “We saw that, within the flowering period, we could distinguish between an earlier stage and an end one,” Gersnoviez said. In this way, a system is obtained that is capable not only of determining whether flowering is impending, occurring, or finished, but also of distinguishing between an initial and a final flowering stage.

Technology to facilitate beekeeping

Beekeepers usually work with several apiaries featuring 40 or 50 hives. These apiaries are miles apart, sometimes hundreds, so knowing exact flowering times without having to visit them saves beekeepers time and allows them to carry out this age-old activity more efficiently. According to José Manuel Flores, a researcher who has participated in the work on the Zoology side, this helps to enhance harvests. “The system tells you that the flowering will end in a few days. This allows beekeepers to plan where to go to in order to collect the honey. If you arrive too early and the flowering hasn’t finished, you’re losing the part of the harvest that the hive can still generate. Conversely, if you arrive late and the flowering finished days before, the bees are already feeding on that honey, and part of the harvest is also lost.” It is especially useful for those who produce monofloral honey (of a single variety, such as orange blossom, chestnut, eucalyptus, or avocado, among many others), since, if it is not collected once the flowering is finished, the bees can take nectar from other flowerings of more distant crops, in which case the honey is no longer monofloral, and loses added value.

The monitoring system created through these teams' collaboration provides much more information. Thanks to these sensors — which measure hives’ weight humidity and temperature data every 5 minutes, and that can be consulted remotely via a computer — beekeepers can also track the changes that occur and verify whether there are any health problems, predators nearby, or any kind of interference, without having to actually visit the apiary.

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Journal

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture

DOI

10.1016/j.compag.2025.110508 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Determination of flowering stage based on artificial intelligence and the daily weight of bee hives.

Why is employee delight key for workers and companies?

Employee delight is an intense, fleeting emotion that arises in response to a positive and unexpected situation

Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)

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Eight out of 10 people in Spain admit to being satisfied with their jobs, according to a survey by the 40dB Institute. But what would happen if these same workers were asked about their emotions and experiences? What if they were asked to recall the last time they felt enthusiastic, joyful or fulfilled in response to a pleasant surprise at work?

So-called employee delight is a very positive and intense emotional state that occurs when an experience far surpasses a worker's expectations. It has the capacity to transform a worker's experience and, in turn, a company's performance, yet academic literature on the concept remains scarce.

The study Employee Delight: Conceptualization, Antecedents, and Consequences, which is available as an open-access resource, seeks to address this gap by defining the phenomenon, integrating theoretical perspectives and proposing an empirical framework to support further research. The study was conducted by Dalilis Escobar and Eva Rimbau Gilabert, researchers within the Digital Business Research Group (DigiBiz) and members of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), as well as Alba Manresa, of the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC).

 

Why is employee delight so important?

Experiencing employee delight is more than just being happy at work; it is a very strong emotion in response to a surprising event that surpasses expectations. "Imagine, for example, an analyst who was responsible for preparing a key report that informed a strategic decision within their organization. After they've presented it, their managers not only approve the proposal, but also explain to the rest of the team that the quality of the analysis played a crucial role in their final decision and give the analyst responsibility for coordinating implementation", explained the researchers.

"This recognition is unexpected and clearly stems from a specific contribution associated with a major professional goal, that of assuming greater responsibility in high-impact projects. That combination ensures that the experience is perceived as exceptional, thus giving rise to employee delight", added the experts.

One of the hallmarks of employee delight is its fleeting nature. However, its effects can have lasting consequences, which may be highly beneficial for both workers and companies. "Highly positive experiences predispose people to favourable behaviours, such as collaboration, commitment and the search for meaning at work. This can translate into greater initiative, collaboration and willingness to contribute new ideas", the researchers pointed out.

"In the long term these experiences can strengthen personal and collective qualities, such as confidence, motivation and the ability to tackle challenges. When organizations foster environments where these emotions can emerge - through trust-based leadership or recognition and career development policies, for example - employee delight can enhance the well-being and effective functioning of teams", concluded Escobar and Rimbau-Gilabert, who are affiliated with the UOC-DIGIT centre, along with Manresa.

How to foster employee delight

According to the researchers, organizations have the opportunity to go beyond merely providing adequate working conditions, which may generate satisfaction, and instead create experiences that employees perceive as valuable and exceptional, thereby giving rise to delight. "Achieving this does not require companies to stage major events, but rather to foster situations that employees remember as positive and meaningful. For example, they could provide sincere and specific recognition and offer real opportunities to achieve significant accomplishments", they pointed out.

The study conducted by the UOC identified four types of situations that can help generate these emotions:

-Achieving goals or successfully solving problems.

-Receiving recognition and positive feedback.

-Experiencing appreciation in social interactions and collaborative work.

-Experiencing unexpected positive situations.

 

The future of the study

One of the study's main contributions is that it provides a comprehensive definition of the term employee delight underpinned by three components: the emotional, the cognitive and the motivational. "Each component addresses a different dimension of the phenomenon and allows it to be explained comprehensively by showing what it generates and the consequences it entails. The emotional component captures its intensity, the cognitive component explains how the experience is interpreted, and the motivational component indicates its influence on subsequent behaviours. Distinguishing between these components allows a more accurate analysis and more effective organizational interventions", said the research team.

The researchers believe that the progress achieved through this work can benefit both individuals and organizations, although they added that it is an emerging field of research and the results should be interpreted with caution. To continue advancing academically, it is necessary to consider three objectives: to empirically validate the proposed conceptual model, develop specific measurement tools, and conduct research in different cultural and organizational contexts.

"Studies are needed to explore how employee delight might be influenced by different cultural environments, sectors and organization types. This would provide insights into the factors that promote or hinder the emergence of these experiences across diverse work settings", the faculty members concluded.

 

This project aligns with the UOC research missions Education of the Future and Planetary health and well-being. The research also supports the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and 10, Reduced Inequalities.

 

Transformative, impactful research

At the UOC, we see research as a strategic tool to advance towards a future society that is more critical, responsible and nonconformist. With this vision, we conduct applied research that's interdisciplinary and linked to the most important social, technological and educational challenges.

The UOC’s over 500 researchers and more than 50 research groups are working in five research units focusing on five missions: lifelong learning; ethical and human-centred technology; digital transition and sustainability; culture for a critical society, and digital health and planetary well-being.

The university's Hubbik platform fosters knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship in the UOC community.

More information: www.uoc.edu/en/research

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Journal

Human Resource Development Quarterly

DOI

10.1002/hrdq.70001 

 

Structural racism and cultural misunderstanding compound grief for Black British and Black Caribbean communities, study finds

University of Bristol

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Inequities in how bereavement is experienced and supported among people of Black British and Black Caribbean heritage in England has been revealed in a new study led by the University of Bristol. The research, published in Death Studies today [2 December], calls for widespread changes to improve bereavement experiences and access to support for Black British and Black Caribbean communities.

People from Black and other minoritised ethnic communities in the UK are known to face persistent health and social care inequities, including barriers to accessing bereavement support. Yet the specific grief experiences and support needs within these communities have remained poorly understood.

Drawing on community conversations and in-depth interviews with 35 participants, this qualitative research study demonstrates how structural racism in healthcare and employment, cultural misunderstanding of Black family structures and traditions, and a lack of tailored end-of-life and bereavement support intensify the pain of loss.

Participants described relying heavily on faith, extended family and community networks in navigating bereavement — an approach that often clashes with the more individualistic norms typically reflected in white British society and in statutory bereavement services.

Some cultural customs, including taboos around the open expression of grief, were reported to make grieving more challenging and left participants navigating bereavement in isolation, without culturally safe or trusted routes to formal support.

In contrast, communal rituals such as Nine-Night and storytelling were seen as vital sources of comfort, cultural continuity, and collective healing. Nine-Night, also known as Dead Yard, is a funerary tradition originating from the Asante people of Western Africa and practiced in several Caribbean countries.

The research was conducted in collaboration with The Ubele Initiative. Karl Murray, Associate Director at The Ubele Initiative, said: “This important research highlights key aspects of how Black communities see and approach grief. Participants' voices reflect deeply felt emotional hurt when those around them misunderstand (or perhaps ignore) their traditions, experiences and needs - including the need to support each other and give respect in ways that go to the heart of community.

“Nine-Nights and set ups, for example, are more than revelry but how communities heal and remember their loved ones. By shining a light on the grief experiences and practices of Black British and Black Caribbean communities, we hope this study helps improve understanding, build connection and counter discrimination.”

Lucy Selman, Professor of Palliative and End of Life Care at the University of Bristol, and corresponding author, added: “Our study provides critical insights into the bereavement experiences of Black British and Black Caribbean communities in England, revealing how structural inequities and cultural norms overlap to shape grief.

“Addressing these challenges requires both systemic reforms and community-level action. Through such efforts, we can move closer to a more compassionate society, where equitable and culturally appropriate support is available to all who are grieving.”

The study found mainstream bereavement services are not designed to meet the cultural, spiritual, or emotional needs of Black communities.

This mismatch contributes to mistrust in services and exacerbates existing health inequalities. The research provides clear evidence that targeted, culturally competent bereavement support is urgently needed to ensure equitable care and uphold national commitments to inclusion and wellbeing.

Dr Alison Penny, Coordinator at the National Bereavement Alliance, commented: "At the National Bereavement Alliance, we recognise the challenges identified in this new research. It is essential we do more across the bereavement sector to ensure that support is culturally appropriate, embed anti-racist policies and training, and work with partner organisations to build trust and tackle the inequities that people face when accessing support. We welcome this evidence to help inform the development of truly inclusive bereavement support.”

Key findings include:

• Systemic barriers: Participants reported limited cultural competency across bereavement and health services, including poor understanding of Black grief traditions, spirituality, and family structures.
• Bias in end-of-life care: Rigid systems and assumptions based on white British family norms contributed to sub-standard care and inadequate support.
• Racism compounds grief: Experiences of discrimination in health and social care deepened distress during already vulnerable moments.
• Faith and community are vital—but overstretched: Churches, mosques, and informal networks often provided the only reliable support, but tensions around traditions, intergenerational differences, and gendered expectations placed additional strain, particularly on Black women.
• Trauma and silence: Many participants described cumulative, unresolved trauma across generations, exacerbated by social taboos and a lack of culturally safe spaces to discuss death and loss.

The findings align with the UK Commission on Bereavement’s (2022) principles, including the need for people to feel supported before, during, and after a death, and to have easy access to appropriate emotional bereavement support suited to their circumstances.

National Grief Awareness Week runs from Tuesday 2 to Monday 8 December.  On Tuesday 9 December, the University of Bristol Centre for Grief Research and Engagement (Bristol Grief Centre) will have its London launch at the House of Commons.

The Bristol Grief Centre - the first of its kind in the UK – hopes to shift public attitudes towards grief and create communities that are compassionate and connected in their support of people who are bereaved.

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Journal

Death Studies

DOI

10.1080/07481187.2025.2591391 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

The system doesn't really cater for the trauma that Black people have experienced’ – Experiences of grief and bereavement in Black British and Black Caribbean heritage communities in England: A qualitative study

Article Publication Date

2-Dec-2025