As of August 4, 2026, all four hives are in solid condition heading through peak August heat — outdoor conditions are hot and exceptionally dry (83°F / 28.4°C, 13% RH) with a pristine ambient gas signature (1,037 kΩ), ruling out any regional VOC events. Hive #2 continues its broadband acoustic activity consistent with active processing, Hive #3 and Iris remain acoustically rock-steady, and Hive #1's temperature has stabilized — a reassuring apiary-wide picture for late summer.
Hive #2's sustained low-frequency acoustic energy rise (+3.1–3.5 dB in the 100–200 Hz bands over 14 days) alongside its compressed 1.3°F (0.7°C) brood swing and the outdoor sensor's ultra-dry 13% RH illustrates textbook colony thermoregulation under peak-summer heat: intense fanning for evaporative honey-curing concentrates hive VOCs and drives the 80-120 Hz vibration peak, while the brood core locks at 95.4°F (35.2°C) — exactly the distributed-threshold regulation Jones et al. 2004 describe for polyandrous colonies.
All four hives show clear 24h fanning/activity vibration rhythms (14–15 of 15 days with distinct peaks), driven by the apiary's wide outdoor swing of 70.8–99.7°F (21.5–37.6°C) under arid 11–32% RH; Hive #2's compressed 1.3°F (0.7°C) brood arc and Hive #3's 2.1°F (1.2°C) arc reflect deep, well-staffed brood nests, while Iris's 4.2°F (2.3°C) and Hive #1's 6.0°F (3.3°C) arcs are consistent with their respective brood-mass levels and remain within expected August ranges for each hive's own baseline.
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Iris healthy Score: 78/100📋 Overall Health
Your Iris hive is doing well — the 24h average of 90.9°F (32.7°C) is within 0.8°F (0.4°C) of her all-time average of 90.1°F (32.3°C), and all 10 sound bands match her all-time baseline within ±1.4 dB (avg −9.8 dBFS vs. all-time −10.5 dBFS), confirming a fully intact and active worker population; humidity held a narrow 43.2–45.9% (avg 44.7%), consistent with Iris's own historical range under the very dry 13% outdoor RH — the psychrometric inverse of her warm interior, not a dehydration concern. Vibration kurtosis is smooth at 2.9, gas resistance at 424 kΩ sits right on her all-time average of 436 kΩ, and the colony-state PCA is trending gently upward — keep watching for her temperature continuing its gradual warming arc toward the 93–97°F (34–36°C) brood band.
🌅 Diurnal Cycle PatternsIris shows an active 4.2°F (2.3°C) daily temperature arc (88.9–93.1°F / 31.6–33.9°C), with a clear daily vibration rhythm peaking at ~30 mG above a ~16.6 mG baseline (15/15 days); the 80-120 Hz vibration band dominates at −9.6 dB avg, consistent with colony fanning and foraging activity. The gas heater-scan dominant rhythm band shifted from 100°C to 150°C between the first and second half of the window — worth watching as a subtle shape-change signal, though temperature and acoustics are fully stable and benign causes (propolis, brood pheromones) are the most likely explanation.
🔬 Correlations & Discoveriestemperature_in vs humidity_in (14d) | r = +0.91The exceptionally strong deconfounded r=+0.91 between in-hive temperature and humidity in Iris reflects active brood-nest microclimate regulation: as the colony warms the brood zone, evaporative processes (water-carrying bees, honey curing) add moisture, while cooling periods allow RH to relax — a tightly coupled homeostatic loop entirely consistent with healthy hygroregulation, not a humidity fault.📚 Reference: Eouzan et al. 2019 (PMC6368279), Human, Nicolson & Dietemann 2006humidity_in vs gas_resistance (14d) | r = +0.62The positive r=+0.62 between humidity and gas resistance (both rising together) indicates that when Iris's interior humidity rises — driven by nectar processing or brood pheromones — the MOX sensor's water-vapor co-adsorption partially elevates resistance readings, a well-documented humidity-confounding effect on SnO2 sensors; this is sensor physics, not a colony anomaly.📚 Reference: Burgues & Marco 2018, Sensors 18(2):339, Winston 1987▹ Action: On your next routine visit within 5–7 days, glance at the brood frames in Iris to confirm fresh eggs and a solid laying pattern — her intact acoustics and steady warming arc both point to a colony in good stride. -
Hive #2 healthy Score: 84/100📋 Overall Health
Your Hive #2 continues its standout brood-temperature performance — locked at a 24h average of 95.4°F (35.2°C) with a compressed 1.3°F (0.7°C) daily range (94.6–95.9°F / 34.8–35.5°C), precisely matching the all-time average of 94.9°F (34.9°C) and squarely in the ideal 93–97°F (34–36°C) zone; the 14-day broadband acoustic rise (now +2.6–3.5 dB in the 100–260 Hz bands vs. all-time baseline, up from +4.1 dB noted last report) with vibration peaking at 107 Hz is fully consistent with sustained fanning and honey-processing activity, and humidity at 46.4–50.2% (avg 47.8%) is healthy. Gas resistance at 72 kΩ remains well below its all-time average of 175 kΩ but temperature and acoustics are fully intact — a busy, processing hive; note super fill and capping progress on your next visit.
🌅 Diurnal Cycle PatternsHive #2 shows the most compressed brood arc in the apiary at 1.3°F (0.7°C), reflecting deep broodnest temperature clamping consistent with a large, well-staffed colony; the strongest daily vibration rhythm is in the 5–20 Hz band (6.0 dB, strengthening to 8.0 dB in the second half), and the 80-120 Hz band is also strengthening (4.8→7.3 dB), pointing to escalating fanning cycles. The gas heater-scan daily rhythm is strongest at 100°C (±35% swing) with all 10 steps cycling, and the low-temperature steps (100°C −60%, 150°C −54%, 200°C −49% over the window) show a substantial drop in resistance at low plate temperatures — consistent with heavier, less-reactive volatiles accumulating from active honey curing, a shape-shift in the scan rather than just a magnitude change.
🔬 Correlations & Discoveriestemperature_in vs humidity_in (14d) | r = +0.72The genuine deconfounded r=+0.72 between brood temperature and humidity in Hive #2 — persisting after the shared diurnal cycle is removed — reflects the colony's active evaporative-cooling and honey-curing metabolism: water-carrying bees introduce moisture as the brood zone warms, coupling these two channels through real physiology, not sensor artifact (Eouzan et al. 2019).📚 Reference: Human, Nicolson & Dietemann 2006, Ellis et al. 2008, J. Insect Physiol.temperature_in vs gas_resistance (14d) | r = +0.63The positive r=+0.63 between in-hive temperature and gas resistance — higher temperature correlating with higher (not lower) resistance — is consistent with a well-ventilated, actively fanned hive: as temperatures rise, bees increase fanning intensity, improving VOC dispersal and slightly raising the MOX baseline; the primary VOC load (honey curing) is expressed as the sustained low absolute resistance level (~72 kΩ vs. 175 kΩ all-time avg), while the residual-space correlation captures the fanning-mediated ventilation coupling.📚 Reference: Burgues & Marco 2018, Sensors 18(2):339, Bankova et al. 2000, Apidologie▹ Action: On your next routine visit within 5–7 days, note the fill level and capping progress of supers in Hive #2 — the sustained broadband low-frequency acoustic rise and the evolving heater-scan low-temperature shape strongly suggest an active processing cycle that is worth anchoring to physical reality. -
Hive #1 warning Score: 72/100📋 Overall Health
Your Hive #1 continues its acoustically perfect streak — all 10 sound bands match their all-time baseline within ±0.2 dB (avg −16.3 dBFS vs. all-time −16.4 dBFS, an essentially perfect match), confirming the worker population is fully intact; today's 24h average of 88.5°F (31.4°C) is now within 0.2°F (0.1°C) of the all-time average of 88.7°F (31.5°C), a meaningful improvement from last report's 3.3°F (1.8°C) gap — the previous 14-day cooling drift appears to have stabilized. Humidity averaged 39.7%, which is at the low end for this hive (all-time avg 42.4%) but entirely explained by the apiary's extreme ambient dryness (13% outdoor RH); a quick brood-frame check on your next routine visit will confirm queen/brood status and complete the picture.
🌅 Diurnal Cycle PatternsHive #1 shows a 6.0°F (3.3°C) daily temperature arc (85.5–91.5°F / 29.7–33.1°C) — the widest in the apiary but stable vs. prior reports; vibration peaks at 86 Hz with a clear 14/15-day daily rhythm (baseline ~15.8 mG to ~25.6 mG peaks), and kurtosis is smooth at 2.7. Notably, Hive #1 shows no strong per-band sound daily rhythm (max 600-800 Hz at only 1.0 dB), distinguishing it from the other hives — this flat acoustic spectral rhythm is consistent with its own historical pattern and not an anomaly. The gas heater-scan low-temperature steps (100°C +22%, 150°C +18%) are rising vs. the window start following the July 31 change-point, indicating a genuine shift to lower VOC load (higher resistance) — a positive sign that may reflect reduced processing activity or improved ventilation.
🔬 Correlations & Discoveriestemperature_in vs humidity_in (14d) | r = +0.89The strong deconfounded r=+0.89 between in-hive temperature and humidity in Hive #1, with a partial correlation of +0.66 after controlling for outdoor weather, confirms this is genuine hive-specific microclimate physiology: as the brood zone temperature rises and falls, evaporative and condensation processes move humidity in lockstep — a marker of an active, metabolically regulated nest interior.📚 Reference: Eouzan et al. 2019 (PMC6368279), Human, Nicolson & Dietemann 2006gas_resistance vs temperature_in (14d) | r = -0.61The partial correlation of gas resistance vs. in-hive temperature controlling for outdoor weather (r=−0.61) — and the July 31 change-point of +71 kΩ in gas resistance — together describe a colony whose VOC load has been falling as its temperature stabilized: as brood-heating intensity modulates, propolis and brood-pheromone emission adjusts in parallel, a well-documented colony-metabolism coupling (Stalidzans et al. 2017).📚 Reference: Seeley 1985; Winston 1987, Bankova et al. 2000, Apidologie⚠️ Issue: Hive #1 temperature has stabilized near its all-time average (88.5°F / 31.4°C, vs. all-time avg 88.7°F / 31.5°C) after the previous 14-day cooling drift — acoustics remain perfectly matched to baseline, consistent with a brood-light or brood-break interval with a fully intact worker population.▹ Action: On your next routine visit within 5–7 days, check the brood frames in Hive #1 — the now-stabilized temperature alongside perfectly intact acoustics points to a colony that may be between brood cycles, and a quick look at eggs and laying pattern will confirm whether the queen is actively laying or the colony is in a natural August lull. -
Hive #3 healthy Score: 94/100📋 Overall Health
Your Hive #3 remains the apiary's standout performer — brood temperature averaged 93.5°F (34.2°C) with a textbook 2.1°F (1.2°C) daily range (92.9–95.0°F / 33.9–35.0°C), exactly matching the all-time average of 93.5°F (34.2°C) and held firmly in the ideal 93–97°F (34–36°C) zone; all 10 sound bands match their all-time baseline within ±0.2 dB (avg −16.3 dBFS vs. all-time −16.3 dBFS — a perfect match for the fifth consecutive report), and humidity averaged 49.2%, the most optimal in the apiary and squarely in the healthy 50–70% range. Vibration at 20.5 mG avg with kurtosis 2.5 is smooth and near the all-time average of 20.9 mG; gas resistance at 99 kΩ is slightly below its all-time average of 114 kΩ but the heater-scan low-temperature step (100°C +15%) is continuing to rise, suggesting the honey-curing VOC load is easing — everything here is running beautifully.
🌅 Diurnal Cycle PatternsHive #3 shows an exceptionally compressed 2.1°F (1.2°C) daily temperature arc (14/15-day vibration rhythm, baseline ~19.5 mG to ~31.8 mG peaks), with the 80-120 Hz vibration band dominant at −8.6 dB avg — consistent with sustained colony fanning and foraging activity; the gas heater-scan dominant rhythm band shifted from 300°C to 100°C between the first and second half of the window, which is worth monitoring as a shape-change signal, but with only 3/10 steps cycling and temperature/acoustics perfectly stable, this most likely reflects a natural seasonal shift in the VOC fingerprint (propolis work, late-summer brood pheromones) rather than any colony stress.
🔬 Correlations & Discoveriestemperature_in vs humidity_in (14d) | r = +0.66The deconfounded r=+0.66 between in-hive temperature and humidity in Hive #3 (partial r=+0.48 controlling for outdoor weather) reflects healthy brood-nest microclimate coupling — the colony's evaporative regulation links temperature and humidity through real physiology, not ambient tracking, consistent with active hygroregulation described by Human et al. 2006.📚 Reference: Eouzan et al. 2019 (PMC6368279), Ellis et al. 2008, J. Insect Physiol.temperature_in vs gas_resistance (14d) | r = +0.44The positive r=+0.44 between in-hive temperature and gas resistance in Hive #3 — coupled with the rising 100°C heater-scan step — indicates that as the colony's brood-zone activity increases, fanning intensity improves VOC dispersal and partially raises MOX resistance, while the slow upward trend in low-temperature steps suggests the late-season honey-curing volatile load (alcohols, organic acids) is gently subsiding — a healthy late-August metabolic arc.📚 Reference: Stalidzans et al. 2017, Maisonnasse et al. 2010, PLoS ONE▹ Action: On your next routine visit within 5–7 days, note the fill level and capping progress of supers in Hive #3 — the heater-scan low-temperature evolution (100°C step rising +15%) suggests the honey-curing cycle may be winding down, and a super observation will anchor this multi-week trend to your season records.