As a new beekeeper, I like to spend time looking for ways to help make my journey successful. Recently I came across a website, www.hivetracks.com. The site is free to use, but you can pay for an upgrade to access more tools. The free version allows you to track your yards, hives, inspections, and harvests. There is a to do list, calendar, and maps. It's looks like a great way to keep track of what's going on in your hives. The free version seems to be well suited if you have Langstroth hives. When you upgrade to the pro version, you get to choose from other types of hives..
I signed up for the pro version and entered the information for both of my hives. I got to look at the maps that showed 1, 2, and 3 mile radius around my hives. It was nice to see where the bees may travel to when they are out and about. I also looked at the global map to see if there are other users near me. It was fun to see other hives in the area!
The "inspections" section is where the bulk of your note taking resides. You can easily track the day, time, and weather conditions of your inspection. You can enter the conditions of your hive, population, laying pattern, and if there are any queen cells. There is a place to document honey stores, feedings, diseases, and treatments. A note section is also available. If you use the pro version, you can upload photos and videos. The pro version also offers a hive hardware inventory, integrated calendar, and integrated to do list.
At this point I have not done any inspections, but I am excited to utilize this new tool that I have found. I am sure that my to do list will get bigger and bigger as the season gets closer.
Our days are warming up now and the snow is starting to melt, so there is hope of spring! Today when I was out, I saw bees flying and some on the hive. They seemed very happy to be out and flying. Some were landing on the fence and soaking in the sunshine. It was all so good to see! Now we just need it to get warmer, melt the snow, and then there will be pollen for the bees to collect. In the meantime, I will continue to learn more about my new hive tracking tool.
