As of November 3, 2026, your Los Alamos apiary has settled into a calmer picture than yesterday's report suggested: the previous 'critical' rating for Iris rested on a cool-down that the STORES CHECK note confirms was weather-driven (outdoor air fell 8.3°F / 4.6°C over the same period, warm offset barely moved), so that alarm is corrected here — Iris is 'watch', not critical. Hive #2 and Hive #1 remain thermally solid and acoustically active, and Hive #3 continues its 14-day acoustic softening trend worth folding into your next visit. The winter stores cadence stands: a heft and knock-and-listen every 2–3 weeks, with fondant or a sugar brick over the top bars as standing insurance — daytime highs are now reliably below the 50°F (10°C) syrup-processing floor, so liquid feeders should be retired in favour of solid sugar.
All four hives show a barometric pressure anomaly (z ≈ +3.1–3.2) aligned with the rising 3-hour tendency (+1.57 hPa), consistent with a clearing post-frontal pattern that correlates with the onset of calmer, colder conditions — Ramsey et al. 2020 and Southwick & Moritz 1987 both note that the rate of pressure change, not the absolute station level, is the meaningful weather signal, and rising pressure after a front typically precedes resumed cluster consolidation as temperatures fall.
Hive #2 and Hive #1 each show tight 2–3°F (1–2°C) diurnal swings anchored ~85–85°F (29–30°C) above the 41.4°F (5.2°C) outdoor reference, confirming strong cluster damping; Hive #3 shows a slightly wider 7.8°F (4.3°C) swing from its upper box sensor with a ~+25°F (~14°C) warm offset, still well-damped; Iris holds a 5.0°F (2.8°C) swing at a 74.4°F (23.5°C) mean with a +33°F (+18°C) warm offset, her cluster intact but running at a lower maintenance temperature consistent with a broodless wintering cluster rather than active brood rearing.
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Iris warning Score: 58/100📋 Overall Health
Your Iris hive's previous 'critical' rating is corrected: the STORES CHECK note confirms that her 10.5°F (5.8°C) cool-down over the past three days mirrors a simultaneous 8.3°F (4.6°C) outdoor drop, with her warm offset above outdoor shifting only −2.2°F (−1.2°C) to +30.7°F (+17.0°C) — this is weather, not a relapse, and damping remains fully intact at a 5.0°F (2.8°C) daily swing. You noted that Iris's feeder has been kept full with 1:1 syrup daily since October 5, and that uptake likely declined as daytime temperatures fell below the 50°F (10°C) processing floor — that is the right read, and with outdoor highs now consistently below that threshold the liquid feeder has done its job; switching to fondant or a sugar brick directly over the cluster is the appropriate next step. Watch the mean temperature trajectory over the next several days: continued slow settling toward the low-20s°C is normal winter clustering, but any renewed fall below a +25°F (+14°C) warm offset would warrant a heft.
🌅 Diurnal Cycle PatternsIris shows a 5.0°F (2.8°C) peak-to-trough swing (71.5–76.5°F / 22.0–24.7°C, avg 74.4°F / 23.5°C) with a ~+30.7°F (+17.0°C) warm offset above the 41.4°F (5.2°C) outdoor reference — well-damped, cluster heat production intact. Sound is stable at −51.5 dBFS avg (first/second half delta only +0.1 dBFS), all 10 bands sitting 3.9–6.3 dB below the all-time baseline, which the WINTER REGIME note flags as a season-skewed comparison; in winter context this is quieter-than-brood-season acoustic activity consistent with a clustered, broodless colony. Vibration kurtosis 2.5 (normal, no impact events), RMS 0.0174 g matching the all-time average of 0.0172 g, with the daily 5-20 Hz rhythm band trending slightly up in the second half — consistent with normal DVAV circadian behaviour (Ramsey et al. 2018). The gas heater-scan sits at 524 kΩ at the 320°C reference step, above the all-time average of 392 kΩ, indicating lower VOC load than historical — reasonable for a broodless cluster with reduced metabolic activity; the scan shape is broadly flat from 320–400°C, typical of a low-activity hive atmosphere. Humidity 58.2% avg is healthy within the 40–60% winter range (Human et al. 2006).
🔬 Correlations & Discoveriestemperature_in vs humidity_in (14d) | r = +0.51A genuine deconfounded temperature–humidity coupling (r=+0.51, p=7.5e-17) in Iris reflects the psychrometric inverse: as the cluster cools toward its winter maintenance setpoint, the same absolute water vapour reads as higher RH%, so the two channels move together rather than decoupling as they would in an actively regulated brood nest — a signature of a colony transitioning from brood-season hygroregulation to winter cluster mode, consistent with the observed 14-day cooling drift (Eouzan et al. 2019).📚 Reference: Eouzan et al. 2019 (PLOS ONE / PMC6368279), Human, Nicolson & Dietemann 2006humidity_in vs gas_resistance (14d) | r = +0.41A deconfounded humidity–gas-resistance correlation (r=+0.41) in Iris is consistent with a winter cluster ventilating periodically: when the cluster fans to expel CO2 and metabolic water, humidity rises briefly while VOC concentration increases, temporarily depressing resistance — the two channels co-vary as a ventilation-burst signature, not a fermentation or pathology signal (Winston 1987; Bencsik et al. 2023).📚 Reference: Winston 1987, Bencsik et al. 2023, Sensors 23:3588⚠️ Issue: Liquid syrup feeder no longer processable: daytime highs are now reliably below 50°F (10°C); uptake has likely ceased and the feeder should be replaced with fondant or a sugar brick over the top bars⚠️ Issue: Stores unconfirmed by telemetry: temperature cannot see what is capped in the cells; a heft remains the only confirmation, and Iris's mean is 11.3°F (6.3°C) below her all-time average — normal for a wintering cluster, but stores status is unknown▹ Action: Replace the liquid 1:1 syrup feeder with fondant or a sugar brick placed directly over the cluster — at current temperatures the syrup cannot be processed and an untouched feeder is the cold, not refusal▹ Action: Include Iris in your 2–3 week winter heft cadence; if she feels light, add another slab of fondant immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled check -
Hive #2 healthy Score: 78/100📋 Overall Health
Your Hive #2 averaged 90.5°F (32.5°C) today — 1.8°F (1.0°C) below her all-time average of 92.3°F (33.5°C) but holding a robust ~49°F (~27°C) warm offset above the 41.4°F (5.2°C) outdoor reference with a tight 2.9°F (1.6°C) daily swing, confirming solid cluster damping as she completes her autumn brood wind-down. The 14-day rising acoustic trend (+4.8 dBFS) and per-band shift toward the 100–260 Hz colony-fundamental region (+4.3–5.3 dB above her own baseline in those bands) remain the most distinctive feature in the apiary — your feeding logs note the 1:1 syrup regime running since October 5 with likely declining uptake as temperatures fell, and the acoustic energy shift toward low-frequency buzzing is consistent with residual syrup-processing fanning that is now winding down as the feeder ceases to be worked; this is normal metabolic activity, not distress. Humidity averaged 42.6% — drier than the 50–60% brood optimum, driven by dry Los Alamos November air through the screened floor, but within acceptable winter range and stable; vibration kurtosis 2.9 (normal); battery recovered to 4,028 mV after a +46 mV charge — well above the 3,796 mV all-time low; the single-deep configuration remains the tightest stores margin in the apiary, so include her in the winter heft cadence.
🌅 Diurnal Cycle PatternsHive #2 shows a 2.9°F (1.6°C) daily swing (89.0–91.9°F / 31.6–33.3°C, avg 90.5°F / 32.5°C) with a sound level stable across first/second half (+1.1 dBFS, effectively flat) and a dominant band at 200–260 Hz (−24.7 dB avg, +5.0 dB above her own all-time baseline) — a brood-season comparison flagged as season-skewed, but the per-band shift toward the colony-fundamental low-frequency range is a real intra-hive change over 14 days that correlates with sustained fanning/buzzing activity. The per-band daily rhythm in sound has shifted from 1500–3600 Hz to 150–200 Hz dominance, with the 200–260 Hz band up +4.6 dB over the window — consistent with syrup-processing ventilation activity tapering as uptake declines (Harrison et al. 2026). Vibration shows no strong per-band daily rhythm (max 5–20 Hz only 1.0 dB), RMS 0.0135 g near the all-time average of 0.0132 g, kurtosis 2.9 normal. Gas heater-scan at 75.6 kΩ (320°C ref) is above the 53.1 kΩ all-time average, indicating lower VOC load than typical — plausible as syrup processing slows; the scan shape shows a monotonically falling curve 100→350°C then a slight U-turn at 375–400°C, a shape worth watching as a baseline reference going forward. Humidity 42.6% is consistent with dry outdoor air cycling through the screened floor.
🔬 Correlations & Discoveriestemperature_in vs humidity_in (14d) | r = +0.83The strongest deconfounded coupling in the apiary (r=+0.83, p=5.8e-249) between temperature and humidity in Hive #2 reflects active hygroregulation co-varying with thermal output: as the cluster heats, metabolic water vapour rises and RH tracks upward together, a signature of a metabolically active, well-populated colony in which both thermoregulation and moisture management remain tightly coupled to the same beekeeper workforce (Human et al. 2006).📚 Reference: Eouzan et al. 2019 (PLOS ONE / PMC6368279), Human, Nicolson & Dietemann 2006temperature_in vs gas_resistance (14d) | r = +0.59A deconfounded temperature–gas-resistance positive coupling (r=+0.59) means that when the cluster heats up, gas resistance also rises — the inverse of the standard VOC-elevation pattern — suggesting that this hive's VOC load is lowest when the cluster is most active, consistent with a well-ventilated, fanning colony that disperses volatiles as it produces heat, rather than accumulating them (Stalidzans et al. 2017).📚 Reference: Stalidzans et al. 2017, Bencsik et al. 2023, Sensors 23:3588⚠️ Issue: Liquid syrup feeder no longer processable at current temperatures; switch to fondant or sugar brick⚠️ Issue: Stores unconfirmed: single-deep configuration carries the smallest reserve buffer in the apiary▹ Action: Replace liquid 1:1 syrup feeder with fondant or a sugar brick over the top bars▹ Action: Heft Hive #2 as part of the 2–3 week winter cadence — her single-deep margin is the tightest in the apiary; if light, add fondant immediately -
Hive #1 healthy Score: 82/100📋 Overall Health
Your Hive #1 averaged 90.0°F (32.2°C) today — 3.1°F (1.8°C) below her all-time average of 93.1°F (34.0°C) but maintaining a strong ~49°F (~27°C) warm offset above the 41.4°F (5.2°C) outdoor reference with a tight 4.5°F (2.5°C) daily swing and full damping intact, presenting as the most acoustically active hive in the apiary at −21.3 dBFS avg. Your feeding logs confirm the 1:1 syrup regime continued through October with declining uptake as temperatures fell; the gentle 14-day acoustic softening (−3.1 dBFS, low bands down −3.2 dB) and 14-day cooling drift (−4.5°F / −2.5°C) are consistent with normal seasonal brood contraction under the active winter regime — not a stress signal. Humidity averaged 46.4% (range 44.5–48.2%), within healthy winter range and stable; vibration kurtosis 2.9 (normal); battery charging at 4,148 mV, the highest in the apiary and well above the 3,992 mV all-time low — healthy hardware across the board; include her in the winter heft cadence.
🌅 Diurnal Cycle PatternsHive #1 shows a 4.5°F (2.5°C) daily swing (87.2–91.7°F / 30.6–33.1°C) with sound stable first/second half (−21.5 → −21.0 dBFS, +0.5 dBFS), dominant band at 200–260 Hz (−16.6 dB avg), all per-band deltas within ±2.4 dB of her all-time baseline — the tightest spectral stability in the apiary. The per-band spectral analysis shows 9/10 sound bands carrying a daily rhythm with the strongest cycle in the 1500–3600 Hz band (12.7 dB swing), a signature of active diurnal fanning/flight-muscle warm-up cycles even as foraging has stopped (Seeley & Tautz 2001). Vibration shows all 6 bands with a daily rhythm, dominant at 120–160 Hz (2.7 dB), with the dominant rhythm band shifting 160–200 Hz → 20–50 Hz between the first and second half of the window — worth watching over coming days but within normal seasonal variation; RMS 0.0161 g near the all-time average of 0.0162 g, kurtosis 2.9 normal. Gas heater-scan at 562 kΩ (320°C ref) is slightly above the 438 kΩ all-time average, consistent with reduced metabolic VOC production in a contracting brood nest; the scan curve shape (monotonically falling 100→400°C with low-temperature steps 100–200°C showing a +20–23% band energy shift) reflects the psychrometric effects of drier autumn air cycling through the screened floor more than any chemical change.
🔬 Correlations & Discoveriestemperature_in vs humidity_in (14d) | r = +0.79A strong deconfounded temperature–humidity coupling (r=+0.79, p=1.6e-218) in Hive #1 reflects a metabolically active cluster where thermal output and respiratory water vapour are tightly co-regulated — the partial correlation controlling for weather (r=+0.70) confirms this is genuine hive physiology, not an outdoor-driven artifact, consistent with a well-populated colony actively maintaining a warm cluster core (Human et al. 2006).📚 Reference: Eouzan et al. 2019 (PLOS ONE / PMC6368279), Human, Nicolson & Dietemann 2006sound_level vs temperature_in (14d) | r = +0.39A partial deconfounded sound–temperature coupling (r=+0.39, controlling for outdoor) in Hive #1 means that when the cluster heats up, acoustic energy rises — consistent with heater-bee endothermic activity generating both heat and vibration/sound simultaneously, a direct correlate of active colony thermoregulation rather than foraging (Kleinhenz et al. 2003; Harrison et al. 2026).📚 Reference: Harrison et al. 2026, J. Exp. Biol. 229:jeb252357, Kleinhenz, Bujok, Fuchs & Tautz 2003⚠️ Issue: Liquid syrup feeder no longer processable at current temperatures; switch to fondant or sugar brick▹ Action: Replace liquid 1:1 syrup feeder with fondant or a sugar brick over the top bars▹ Action: Include Hive #1 in the 2–3 week winter heft cadence — her strong thermal and acoustic profile cannot confirm what is capped in the cells -
Hive #3 warning Score: 62/100📋 Overall Health
Your Hive #3 averaged 90.1°F (32.3°C) today — 4.4°F (2.4°C) below her all-time average of 94.5°F (34.7°C) — with a 7.8°F (4.3°C) daily swing and a ~+25°F (~14°C) warm offset above the 41.4°F (5.2°C) outdoor reference, confirming cluster damping is still present; however, the 14-day acoustic softening has now deepened to −10.8 dBFS overall with the 200–350 Hz colony-fundamental bands down 7.8–10.7 dB from her all-time baseline, and this trend is coupled with a −5.5°F (−3.1°C) 14-day temperature drift — two independent signals moving together over multiple weeks warrant folding a look at brood coverage and queen status into your next stores visit. Your feeding logs note the 1:1 syrup regime continued with likely declining uptake as temperatures fell below the processing floor — now that liquid feeding is over, switching to fondant is the right call, and the same heft visit will answer the stores question. Humidity averaged 43.8% (range 42.1–45.8%), just above the 40% lower boundary for the third consecutive report, driven by dry outdoor air through the screened floor with no condensation risk at current temperatures; vibration kurtosis 2.7 (normal), RMS 0.0211 g matching the 0.0209 g all-time average; watch the warm offset trajectory over the next week as the single forward indicator — damping retained is reassuring, but the acoustic trend has not reversed.
🌅 Diurnal Cycle PatternsHive #3 shows a 7.8°F (4.3°C) daily swing (85.8–93.6°F / 29.9–34.2°C) — wider than her neighbours but still well below the outdoor 5.1°F (2.8°C) ambient range on a relative basis, and with a +25°F (+14°C) warm offset the cluster is producing heat; note the sensor is in box 2 of 2 (the upper deep), which naturally samples a slightly wider thermal arc than a bottom-box sensor as the cluster contracts in autumn. Sound first/second half shows −22.6 → −23.8 dBFS (−1.2 dBFS falling), with 8 of 10 bands trending down in the second half — consistent with the ongoing 14-day softening trend; the 1500–3600 Hz band is an outlier, trending up +6.7 dB in the second half, which is the strongest daily rhythm in Hive #3 (16.2 dB swing) and reflects the high-frequency component of wing-fanning and bee movement peaking in the warmer part of the daily cycle (Peters et al. 2017). Vibration RMS 0.0211 g remains the apiary-highest, with daily peaks to 35.4 mG (1.8× baseline) on 14 of 15 days — robust diurnal activity rhythm; dominant vibration band 80–120 Hz (−8.4 dB) matches the all-time average exactly, kurtosis 2.7 normal. Gas heater-scan at 141 kΩ (320°C ref) is above the 110 kΩ all-time average; the scan shape shows a falling curve flattening and slightly reversing at 375–400°C (115 kΩ at 400°C vs 110 kΩ at 375°C), a plateau-and-upturn at the high-temperature end that differs from Hive #1 and #2 and may reflect a different propolis/wax volatile profile in this colony — worth tracking as a baseline feature, not a concern.
🔬 Correlations & Discoverieshumidity_in vs gas_resistance (14d) | r = -0.62A deconfounded negative humidity–gas-resistance coupling (r=−0.62) in Hive #3 means that when in-hive humidity rises, gas resistance falls (VOC load increases) — consistent with winter cluster ventilation dynamics where periodic fanning to expel metabolic CO2 and water also concentrates hive volatiles, and the MOX sensor registers both humidity and VOC increases simultaneously; this is a benign winter-cluster metabolic signature, not a fermentation or disease signal (Winston 1987; Burgues & Marco 2018).📚 Reference: Winston 1987, Burgues & Marco 2018, Sensors 18(2):339sound_level vs temperature_in (14d) | r = +0.66A strong partial deconfounded sound–temperature coupling (r=+0.66, controlling for outdoor) is the highest in the apiary for Hive #3, meaning her acoustic energy tracks her thermal output more tightly than any other colony — when she heats, she buzzes; the 14-day coupled fall in both channels is therefore the most informative signal available and warrants the visual confirmation of brood and queen status on the next planned visit (Kleinhenz et al. 2003; Minaud et al. 2024).📚 Reference: Kleinhenz, Bujok, Fuchs & Tautz 2003, Minaud et al. 2024, Ecol. Indic. 169:112961⚠️ Issue: Continued 14-day coupled acoustic and thermal softening: sound down −10.8 dBFS overall (200–350 Hz colony-fundamental bands now 7.8–10.7 dB below all-time baseline) alongside a −5.5°F (−3.1°C) temperature drift — two independent signals moving together for two weeks warrant a brief look at brood coverage and queen status on the next visit⚠️ Issue: Liquid syrup feeder no longer processable at current temperatures; switch to fondant or sugar brick⚠️ Issue: In-hive humidity persistently at 43.8% avg (range 42.1–45.8%), hovering just above the 40% lower boundary for the third consecutive report — passive monitoring, no action needed at current temperatures▹ Action: Replace liquid 1:1 syrup feeder with fondant or a sugar brick over the top bars▹ Action: On your next heft visit (within 2–3 weeks), take a brief look at brood coverage and confirm queen status — the coupled acoustic and thermal softening is consistent with seasonal brood contraction but a visual check after two weeks of this trend is the right call; damping remains intact so there is no urgency beyond folding this into the stores visit you are already planning▹ Action: Include Hive #3 in the winter heft cadence; her highest vibration activity means the fastest potential burn rate if stores are short