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Colony strength. Where it comes from and how to improve it

Plan: Apisense AI and Apisense PRO AI

Colony strength has four levels: Weak, Medium, Strong and Very strong. The level depends on the number of frames that bees cover by at least 75%. The app calculates it from your answer in the inspection. You can correct it manually.

Where the app gets the colony strength

  • From the inspection. The inspection has a question about the number of frames that bees cover. After you save the inspection, the app changes this number into a level. The history shows: Our colony strength assessment and "generated from the inspection".
  • From your correction. The history shows: Your assessment and "manual correction".

The VitalSensor, the Scale and the frame photo analysis do not calculate colony strength. Without an inspection and without a correction, the app shows "-" or No colony strength data.

Where you see the colony strength

  • The hive tile in the list of hives: the Colony strength row.
  • The hive screen, Hive state tab, Health card. Tap the colony strength to open the Colony strength screen.

The Colony strength screen shows the current level, the frame range for this level, the source with the date and the History list. The legend What does colony strength mean? shows the frame range for each level.

The app has no ranking of hives by strength. To find the weakest colony, compare the Colony strength row on the hive tiles.

How to correct the colony strength manually

  1. Open the hive screen, Hive state tab.
  2. Tap the colony strength. The Colony strength screen opens.
  3. Tap the pencil next to the level (Change level).
  4. Select the level.
  5. The app shows Colony strength updated.

The correction has today's date. When you later save a new inspection, the level from this inspection replaces your correction.

How to undo a colony strength correction

  1. On the Colony strength screen, find the correction in the History list.
  2. Tap the bin next to the correction.
  3. Confirm Remove override?. The colony strength goes back to the previous value.

Good to know

  • The frame ranges are set for the peak of the season. In early spring and in autumn the level can look lower. Read it together with the time of year.
  • With restricted access to a shared apiary, the Colony strength screen does not open.
  • Colony strength is not the health status. For disease alerts, see What a disease alert means and where it comes from.