AI Beehive Health Report — 2026-09-08

Multi-sensor colony health analysis · 2026-09-08 warning
🐝 Apiary Overview

As of September 8, 2026, your apiary is in good overall health heading deeper into September — Iris, Hive #1, and Hive #3 all show acoustically stable, fully intact populations on a gentle seasonal cooling arc, while Hive #2 remains the one hive to watch, its multi-band acoustic step-down now at 27 days with brood thermoregulation locked at a textbook 95.0°F (35.0°C) and vibration fanning spikes still peaking 4× above baseline daily. The rising barometric tendency (+1.68 hPa/3h) signals clearing conditions that should support good foraging across the apiary.

🔬 Featured Apiary Correlation

All four hives continue to show the same deconfounded humidity–gas resistance coupling (r ≈ +0.43–0.56), a genuine hive-specific physiology signal: as bees ripen late-season honey and metabolic water circulates, MOX sensor resistance tracks moisture load independently of the diurnal cycle, consistent with Winston (1987) and White (1978) on honey metabolism and volatile production.

🌅 Featured Apiary Diurnal Patterns

Against outdoor swings of 69.9–87.7°F (21.1–30.9°C) at 27–38% RH, all four hives maintain consistent daily vibration fanning rhythms and in-hive humidity in the 40–50% range — appropriate for the dry September ambient with no condensation risk; Hive #2 alone continues to show absent per-band low-frequency acoustic daily rhythm while all other diurnal channels remain healthy across the apiary.

📋 Per-Hive Analysis
  • Iris healthy Score: 83/100
    📋 Overall Health

    Your Iris hive continues in excellent shape — the 24h average of 89.9°F (32.1°C) is +2.0°F (+1.1°C) above its all-time average of 87.9°F (31.0°C), consistent with the gentle late-summer plateau in the weekly trend (87.1→87.6→89.9°F), all 10 acoustic bands are within +1.4 dB of their historical baseline (overall sound −10.1 dBFS vs. all-time −10.9 dBFS), humidity at 40.4% is healthy and consistent with the dry September ambient, gas resistance at 461 kΩ is essentially on its all-time average of 454 kΩ, and vibration at 17.1 mG (kurtosis 2.6, peak 80 Hz) is right on its all-time average of 17.2 mG. Everything here looks calm and healthy — just keep an eye on the gradual seasonal cooling arc as October approaches.

    🌅 Diurnal Cycle Patterns

    Iris shows a clean 3.9°F (2.2°C) daily temperature oscillation (88.8–91.3°F / 31.6–33.0°C), well within healthy brood buffering, with outdoor thermal-mass lag of ~200 min confirming active colony damping — not a placement issue. Humidity holds a rock-steady 39.7–41.0% range across the 24h window, reflecting stable hygroregulation against a dry 27–38% outdoor ambient. Vibration maintains its consistent daily fanning rhythm (15/15 days, baseline ~16.5 mG peaking to ~24.7 mG, 1.5×), with the dominant rhythm band shifting 5–20 Hz → 50–80 Hz between halves of the window — a natural seasonal shift in fanning frequency as ambient cools, not a concern. The gas heater-scan shows a modest daily rhythm at the 150°C step (+14% swing), consistent with diurnal nectar/propolis VOC cycling; the curve shape (steeply declining 100→320°C, flattening 350–400°C) is stable and matches the all-time fingerprint. The dominant acoustic rhythm band shifted from 260–350 Hz to 200–260 Hz — worth noting passively as a subtle change in colony hum structure, but all per-band deltas remain within +1.4 dB of baseline.

    🔬 Correlations & Discoveries
    in_hive_humidity vs gas_resistance (14d) | r = +0.53
    The deconfounded humidity–gas resistance coupling (r=+0.53, p=2.6e-17) in Iris reflects the colony's honey-ripening and metabolic water cycle: as bees process late-season nectar, evaporating moisture raises in-hive RH, which simultaneously increases VOC load (lowering MOX resistance) through fanning circulation of propolis terpenes and honey esters — a healthy metabolic signal, not a ventilation fault.
    📚 Reference: Winston 1987, The Biology of the Honey Bee, White 1978, Advances in Food Research 24:287–374, Eouzan et al. 2019, PLOS ONE / PMC6368279
    ▹ Action: On your next routine visit, do a quick check of Iris's brood frames for fresh eggs to confirm the gradual seasonal cooling arc reflects a natural late-summer brood contraction — the perfectly stable acoustics confirm the full population is present.
  • Hive #2 warning Score: 55/100
    📋 Overall Health

    Your Hive #2 brood temperature remains locked at a textbook 95.0°F (35.0°C) average — a razor-tight 1.2°F (0.7°C) daily arc essentially on its all-time average of 94.8°F (34.9°C) — confirming excellent active thermoregulation; however, the broad-spectrum acoustic step-down that began around August 25th is now at 27 days, with overall sound holding at −16.5 dBFS versus the all-time average of −14.6 dBFS (−1.9 dBFS below baseline), and the 100–150 Hz band remains −4.4 dB below baseline while the 1500–3600 Hz band is −3.6 dB below baseline. Humidity at 49.3% is healthy and slightly above its all-time average of 47.0%, gas resistance at 41 kΩ is near its all-time average of 47 kΩ, and vibration at 14.1 mG (kurtosis 3.0, peak 90 Hz) remains on its all-time average of 14.8 mG with impressive daily fanning spikes (baseline ~12.4 mG peaking to ~49.2 mG, 4.0×) — the combination of locked brood thermoregulation and vigorous vibration alongside a persistent, non-recovering multi-band acoustic step-down now at nearly four weeks warrants a visual confirmation at your next routine inspection this week.

    🌅 Diurnal Cycle Patterns

    Hive #2 shows the tightest brood clamping in the apiary — just 1.2°F (0.7°C) daily swing (94.4–95.6°F / 34.7–35.3°C), the textbook signature of a colony actively heating a full brood nest. Humidity cycles narrowly between 47.7–51.0%, consistent with active brood rearing in this band. Vibration maintains its striking daily fanning rhythm (15/15 days, baseline ~12.4 mG peaking to ~49.2 mG, 4.0×), with all 6 vibration bands showing daily cycles and the dominant rhythm in the 5–20 Hz band (5.0 dB swing) — the strongest low-frequency fanning signature in the apiary. Crucially, the acoustic channel shows no meaningful per-band daily rhythm (max 1.0 dB in the 100–150 Hz band), the persistent absence of normal low-frequency acoustic daily structure that has characterized this hive since the August 25th changepoint. The gas heater-scan shows a modest daily rhythm at the 100°C step (+14% swing) with a −12% step energy drop at 100°C relative to recent history — a subtle shift toward lighter VOCs or slightly improved ventilation, consistent with the colony's continued active fanning but not corroborated by temperature or population signals.

    🔬 Correlations & Discoveries
    in_hive_temp vs gas_resistance (14d) | r = +0.56
    The deconfounded temp–gas resistance coupling (r=+0.56) in Hive #2 reflects heater-bee metabolic activity: when clusters of endothermic workers press into brood cells, their elevated thoracic temperature (up to 44°C) intensifies local VOC evaporation from brood pheromones (E-β-ocimene) and propolis terpenes, transiently reducing MOX resistance — a genuine physiological signal of active brood thermoregulation, consistent with the colony's rock-solid 95.0°F (35.0°C) clamping.
    📚 Reference: Stabentheiner, Kovac & Brodschneider 2010, PLoS ONE 5(1):e8967, Maisonnasse et al. 2010, PLoS ONE 5(10):e13531, Winston 1987, The Biology of the Honey Bee
    ⚠️ Issue: Sustained 27-day multi-band acoustic step-down: overall sound −16.5 dBFS vs. all-time average −14.6 dBFS (−1.9 dBFS); 100–150 Hz band −4.4 dB below baseline, 1500–3600 Hz band −3.6 dB below baseline; changepoint confirmed ~August 25; brood temperature, vibration, humidity, and gas all remain on-baseline.
    ▹ Action: On your next routine visit this week, observe Hive #2's entrance for forager traffic and pollen-carrying activity, then check brood frames for fresh eggs and queen presence — the 27-day acoustic step-down is the one signal worth confirming visually, and the rock-solid 95.0°F (35.0°C) thermoregulation and vigorous vibration fanning spikes (peaking 4× above baseline daily) are genuinely reassuring that the colony is actively caring for brood.
  • Hive #1 healthy Score: 80/100
    📋 Overall Health

    Your Hive #1 is tracking beautifully — all 10 acoustic bands show essentially perfect spectral stability (all per-band deltas within ±0.2 dB of the all-time baseline, overall sound −16.4 dBFS exactly on its all-time average of −16.4 dBFS), the 24h average of 84.3°F (29.1°C) is +0.8°F (+0.4°C) above its all-time average of 83.5°F (28.6°C) and continuing the gradual seasonal cooling arc (weekly trend: 87.1→84.7→82.8→82.0°F), humidity at 44.5% is healthy and slightly above its all-time average of 42.3%, gas resistance at 527 kΩ is essentially on its all-time average of 518 kΩ, and vibration at 16.4 mG (kurtosis 2.8, peak 58 Hz) is exactly on its all-time average of 16.4 mG. Hive #1 continues to be the acoustic benchmark of the apiary — nothing to do here except appreciate it.

    🌅 Diurnal Cycle Patterns

    Hive #1 shows an active 6.0°F (3.4°C) daily temperature oscillation (81.7–87.3°F / 27.6–30.7°C), the widest diurnal swing in the apiary and consistent with this colony running slightly cooler than the textbook brood band — reflecting either a seasonally contracting brood area or the sensor sampling a zone that rides the outer thermal gradient while the core remains warmer. Outdoor thermal-mass lag of ~220 min confirms healthy colony buffering. Humidity holds a remarkably flat 44.1–45.1% range, essentially homeostatic. Vibration shows a healthy daily rhythm (14/15 days, baseline ~15.9 mG peaking to ~22.9 mG, 1.4×), with the dominant rhythm band shifting 80–120 Hz → 5–20 Hz between halves — a gradual seasonal shift toward lower-frequency substrate movement as ambient cools. The gas heater-scan is the most rhythmically active in the apiary (10/10 bands show daily cycles, strongest at 100°C with +41% swing), indicating robust daily ventilation cycling that modulates the full VOC spectrum — a sign of a highly active fanning colony, consistent with the strong partial correlation (gas resistance ~ in-hive temp | outdoor temp: r=−0.82).

    🔬 Correlations & Discoveries
    gas_resistance vs in_hive_temp (14d) | r = -0.82
    The strong partial correlation of gas resistance with in-hive temperature controlling for outdoor weather (r=−0.82) reveals a genuine hive-specific coupling in Hive #1: as the colony warms during peak foraging and fanning activity, accelerated evaporation of propolis terpenes, honey esters, and brood pheromones increases VOC load and drives MOX resistance down — the inverse relationship captures the colony's own metabolic heat-VOC engine, independent of ambient temperature, consistent with endothermic heater-bee activity and active honey ripening.
    📚 Reference: Burgues & Marco 2018, Sensors 18(2):339, Maisonnasse et al. 2010, PLoS ONE 5(10):e13531, Stabentheiner et al. 2010, PLoS ONE 5(1):e8967
    ▹ Action: On your next routine visit, check Hive #1's brood frames for fresh eggs to confirm the ongoing seasonal cooling arc (weekly trend 87.1→82.0°F / 30.6→27.8°C) reflects a natural late-summer brood contraction — the acoustically perfect spectral match (all bands within ±0.2 dB of baseline) is fully reassuring and there is no urgency.
  • Hive #3 healthy Score: 73/100
    📋 Overall Health

    Your Hive #3 continues its excellent run — all 10 acoustic bands are within ±0.1 dB of their historical baseline (a textbook-stable fingerprint, overall sound −16.4 dBFS vs. all-time −16.3 dBFS), the 24h average of 91.4°F (33.0°C) is −0.3°F (−0.2°C) below the all-time average of 91.7°F (33.2°C) and continuing a gentle natural seasonal tail-off (weekly trend: 93.6→92.5→91.6→90.5°F), humidity at 45.9% is essentially on its all-time average of 46.7%, gas resistance at 96 kΩ is essentially on its all-time average of 93 kΩ, and vibration at 20.8 mG (kurtosis 2.8, peak 56 Hz) is right on its all-time average of 20.7 mG. The battery touched a minimum of 3,978 mV during the 24h window, matching its all-time low of 3,978 mV — continue monitoring passively as September solar input declines.

    🌅 Diurnal Cycle Patterns

    Hive #3 shows a healthy 3.2°F (1.8°C) daily temperature oscillation (90.4–92.6°F / 32.5–33.6°C), well within the brood-clamping band, with outdoor thermal-mass lag of ~160 min — the shortest in the apiary, suggesting this colony's sensor sits slightly closer to the thermal gradient edge but still reads comfortably within the healthy range. Humidity cycles narrowly between 44.3–46.6%, consistent with stable hygroregulation. Vibration shows a robust daily rhythm (15/15 days, baseline ~19.4 mG peaking to ~35.0 mG, 1.8×), with all 6 vibration bands showing daily cycles and the dominant rhythm band shifting 80–120 Hz → 160–200 Hz between halves — a subtle seasonal evolution in fanning harmonic structure, consistent with late-summer colony activity changes. The gas heater-scan shows no strong per-band daily rhythm (max 9% swing at 250°C), indicating a stable, low-VOC environment with little day-to-night metabolic cycling — this colony's consistently elevated gas resistance (~96 kΩ vs. all-time average 93 kΩ) reflects a cleaner in-hive air profile compared to the other hives.

    🔬 Correlations & Discoveries
    in_hive_temp vs in_hive_humidity (14d) | r = +0.58
    The deconfounded temp–humidity coupling (r=+0.58) in Hive #3 captures the colony's evaporative cooling physiology: as temperature rises during peak fanning/foraging, water-carrying bees increase evaporative load in the brood area, raising in-hive RH — a genuine metabolic response to thermal stress, independent of the diurnal cycle, consistent with the colony's active 1.8× daily vibration spikes and robust hygroregulation against a very dry 27–38% outdoor ambient.
    📚 Reference: Eouzan et al. 2019, PLOS ONE / PMC6368279, Ellis et al. 2008, J. Insect Physiol. 54:1516–1521, Human, Nicolson & Dietemann 2006, Naturwissenschaften 93:397–401
    ▹ Action: Monitor Hive #3's battery passively — it touched 3,978 mV during the last 24 hours, matching its all-time low; no action needed yet, but keep an eye on the trend as September solar input continues to decrease.