FR3079110A1 - APICOLE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an apicultural identification system (11) comprising a resonant device (13) powered by a source (15) of energy and intended to be mounted on a hive (1) to amplify the acoustic waves of this hive (1).

Description

BEEKEEP IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a beekeeping identification system intended to allow bees to better find their hive.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is recognized that certain pesticides are harmful to bees during their foraging. These pesticides do not necessarily intoxicate the bees but alter their senses to the point of becoming unable to reach their hive. This loss of bearings induced by the alteration of their senses leads to the collapse of the colonies. Indeed, outside their hive, the bees are more exposed and try, until exhaustion, to return there. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the invention is to propose a beekeeping identification system allowing bees to better find their hive even if their senses are altered following foraging by a harmful material.

To this end, the invention relates to a beekeeping identification system comprising a resonant device supplied by an energy source and intended to be mounted on a hive to amplify the acoustic waves of this hive.

Advantageously according to the invention, the beekeeping identification system makes it possible to emit the acoustic signal generated by their queen at a greater intensity capable of helping the bees to find their way back to their hive with greater ease. The system is very simple to implement and adapts by frequency coupling to each characteristic acoustic frequency emitted by the queen of the hive.

The invention may also include one or more of the following optional features, taken alone or in combination.

The energy source is preferably of the electrical type which allows a better amplifying effect than with a hollow body resonator such as the Helmholtz type for example.

The resonant device can thus comprise an electrically conductive body resonating under the effect of the power supply of the energy source. The electrically conductive body can in particular be formed by at least two unconnected wires extending in at least two complementary structures allowing the amplification of the acoustic waves.

Preferably, the two wires and therefore the two complementary structures are substantially coplanar, which allows the thickness of the resonant device to be very compact.

- 2 Each structure can form a first transmission pattern connected to at least one end pattern arranged to vibrate. This architecture makes it possible to limit the number of wires as well as the unitary surface in projection of the resonant device.

The first pattern can be a double nested honeycomb structure, each honeycomb structure being formed by one of the wires. It is immediately understood that the unitary projection surface of the resonant device can thus be very compact.

Each end pattern can form a nested double spiral, each spiral being formed by one of the wires. It is immediately understood that the unitary surface in projection of the resonant device can thus be very compact while allowing its vibration.

The two wires preferably include different materials relative to each other in order to improve the resonant nature of the end patterns.

Finally, the invention also relates to a beehive comprising a box formed of a floor carrying at least one frame intended to receive the honeycomb honeycomb structures produced by bees, the box being closed by a roof, characterized in that that a beekeeping identification system is mounted on the outer surface of the box in order to amplify the acoustic waves of the hive.

Advantageously according to the invention, the beekeeping identification system mounted on the beehive box will couple to the frequency emitted by the queen and emit an acoustic signal at a higher intensity capable of helping the bees to find the way from their hive with more ease. The system is very simple to install, does not disturb the functioning of the hive and can even, by choosing a color of the system contrasting with the hive or more generally with its environment, help the bees to further identify their hive .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages will emerge clearly from the description which is given below, by way of indication and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beehive on which a beekeeping identification system according to the invention can be mounted;

Figure 2 is a representation of a beekeeping identification system according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a partial and enlarged view of Figure 2 centered on part of a transmission pattern according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a partial and enlarged view of Figure 2 centered on a portion of an end pattern according to the invention.

- DETAILED 3D DESCRIPTION OF AT LEAST ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In the various figures, identical or similar elements bear the same references, possibly added with an index. The description of their structure and their function is therefore not systematically repeated.

The invention finds its application in the beekeeping field. The inventors have thus noticed that when approaching beehives, one can feel vibrations distinct from the buzzing of bees. More precisely, when you touch each hive with your hand, you quickly perceive a vibration that seems to vary for each hive. This vibration is emitted by the queen of each hive and characterizes the sound signature of the hive intended to identify it for all the bees that belong to it.

It is recognized that certain pesticides are harmful to bees during their browsing. These pesticides do not necessarily intoxicate the bees but impair their senses enough to become unable to reach their hive. This loss of bearings induced by the alteration of their senses leads to the collapse of the colonies. Indeed, bees, out of loyalty to their queen, try, generally until exhaustion, to return there. It is thus rare that a bee finally joins another hive before exhaustion.

Although sight is generally the sense recognized as the most developed in bees, the inventors have attempted to facilitate the return of bees by using the vibrations of the hive. They have thus developed beekeeping identification systems allowing bees to better find their hive even if their senses are altered following foraging by a harmful material. After several tests carried out on hives in the abandonment phase and without modifying their environment but only by mounting a beekeeping identification system according to the invention, the inventors were able to observe that the colony of each hive was rapidly reconstituting.

The invention applies to any type of hive known as, for example, that illustrated in Figure 1. A hive 1 generally includes a box 3 intended to protect the colony from bad weather and predators. The box 3 comprises a floor 5 forming the bottom of the box 3 and, by its projecting part from the rest of the box 3, the flight deck of the bees. The floor 5 carries at least one frame 7 intended to receive the honeycomb honeycomb structures (not shown) made by bees, and sometimes called the body or rise of the hive 1. Finally, the box 3 is closed by a roof 9.

Advantageously according to the invention, each hive 1 in the abandonment phase or not may include a beekeeping identification system 11 according to the invention in order to facilitate the return of its bees. The beekeeping identification system 11 is preferably mounted on the external surface of the box 3 in order to amplify the characteristic acoustic waves.

- 4from the hive 1. In no way limiting, the beekeeping identification system 11 can thus be fixed on an external wall of the frame 7 as illustrated in FIG. 1 using, for example, at least one element of fixing such as a screw or a nail.

Thus, advantageously according to the invention, the beekeeping identification system 11 mounted on the box 3 of the hive 1 will couple with the frequency emitted by the queen and emit an acoustic signal at a higher intensity capable of helping bees finding their way back to their hive 1 more easily. More specifically, the resonance frequency of the beekeeping identification system 11 will synchronize with that emitted by the queen when it is mounted on the hive 1.

It is therefore understood that the system 11 is very simple to install. In no way limiting, FIG. 2 shows a beekeeping identification system 11 according to the invention which is entirely mounted on a plate 12 made of polymer material such as plastic and intended to be adjusted on an external surface of the hive 1. The beekeeping identification system 11, advantageously according to the invention, does not disturb the operation of the hive 1 by being placed on a surface which does not obstruct the entry of the hive.

Finally, optionally, the beekeeping identification system 11 can also further help the bees to identify their hive 1. In fact, the beekeeping identification system 11 may include a coating of which color is chosen to contrast with the rest of hive 1 or more generally with its environment so that each bee can better visually recognize its hive

1.

As illustrated in the example of Figures 2 to 4, the beekeeping identification system 11 according to the invention comprises a resonant device 13 supplied by a source 15 of energy. Thus, the beekeeping identification system 11 is intended to be mounted on a hive 1 to amplify the acoustic waves of a hive 1 so as to allow the bees to better detect the acoustic waves of the hive 1.

The energy source 15 is preferably of the electrical type which allows a better amplifying effect than with a hollow body resonator such as the Helmholtz type for example. In the example of FIG. 2, the energy source 15 is an electric cell. However, other types of electrical energy source 15 of the electric accumulator type can be envisaged such as a battery (rechargeable or not) and / or a photovoltaic cell. In no way limiting, the potential difference can be between 1 and 10 volts. Obviously, the greater the potential difference, the more the beekeeping identification system 11 will amplify the acoustic signature of hive 1.

- 5 According to the invention, the resonant device 13 can thus comprise an electrically conductive body 17 resonating under the effect of the power supply to the energy source 15. The electrically conductive body 17 can in particular be formed by at least two wires 16, 18 which are not interconnected. Preferably, the body 17 comprises only two wires only which extend according to at least two complementary structures offset one relative to the other allowing the amplification of the acoustic waves.

Preferably, the two son 16, 18 and therefore the two complementary structures, are substantially coplanar, that is to say at least part of the thickness of the complementary structures is distributed in the same horizontal planes stacked on top of each other, which allows the thickness of the resonant device 13 to be very compact. In no way limiting, FIG. 2 shows two complementary structures formed by two wires 16, 18 mounted on a plate 12 made of polymer material, each wire 16,18 being connected to one of the poles of the electric cell. Preferably, each wire 16, 18 has a width of between 0.5 and 1.5 millimeters.

Each complementary structure can form a first pattern 19 of transmission connected to at least one end pattern 20 arranged to vibrate. This architecture makes it possible to limit the number of wires 16, 18 as well as the unitary surface in projection of the resonant device 13. Preferably, the two wires 16, 18 comprise different materials with respect to one another in order to improve the resonant character of the end patterns. For example, the wires 16, 18 can thus include copper, silver, gold, zinc or lead. In no way limiting, the first wire 16 is formed from pure zinc and the second wire 18 is formed from pure copper in the example of FIGS. 2 to 4.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the first pattern 19 may be a double nested honeycomb structure, that is to say that the wire 16 extends in a geometry substantially identical to that of the wire 18 but so offset, leaving a substantially constant gap, preferably between 0.5 and 1.5 millimeters. As best seen in Figure 3, the wire 16 in the most central part of the figure forms a hexagon extended to two of its opposite vertices and is surrounded by the wire 18 according to a complementary geometry, itself surrounded by another part of wire 16 and so on. It is immediately understood that the unitary projection surface of the resonant device 13 can thus be very compact. In the example in FIG. 2, the first pattern 19 comprises twenty-five hexagons distributed over five columns of five lines.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, each end pattern 20 may form a nested double spiral, that is to say that the wire 16 extends in a geometry substantially identical to that of the wire 18 but of offset way leaving a gap

- 6sensibly constant and preferably between 0.5 and 1.5 millimeters. As best seen in Figure 4, the wire 16 forms an outer spiral from smaller and smaller rectilinear segments as they approach the center and are joined together orthogonally. The peripheral end of the external spiral formed can thus be connected to the first pattern 19 and to another end pattern 20 while the central end is not connected to any other element of the resonant device 13. The external spiral of the wire 16 surrounds an internal spiral of the wire 18 according to a complementary geometry.

It is immediately understood that the unitary surface in projection of the resonant device 13 can thus be very compact while allowing its vibration. In the example of FIG. 2, the resonant device 13 comprises twenty end patterns 20 surrounding the transmission pattern 19, each end pattern 20 comprising a double nested spiral with approximately four turns of wire 16 and four turns of wire 18.

Advantageously according to the invention, the beekeeping identification system 11 makes it possible to emit the acoustic signal generated by their queen at a greater intensity capable of helping the bees to find their way back to their hive with greater ease. The system 11 is very simple to implement and adapts by frequency coupling to each characteristic acoustic frequency emitted by the queen of the hive 1.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments and variants presented and other embodiments and variants will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is in particular possible to provide that several beekeeping identification systems 11 are mounted on the same hive 1.

In addition, the invention cannot be limited to the geometries described in Figures 2 to 4. The geometries and dimensions of the patterns 19, 20 could differ without departing from the scope of the invention. In no way limiting, the double nested cellular structure of the pattern 19 of transmission could be replaced by a double nested circular structure. Similarly, the smaller and smaller rectilinear segments approaching the center and connected orthogonally to all or part of the end patterns 20 could be replaced by two nested perfect spirals of the Archimedes type.

Claims (10)

1. Beekeeping identification system (11) comprising a resonant device (13) supplied by a source of energy (15) and intended to be mounted on a hive (1) to amplify the acoustic waves of this hive (1). 2. System (11) according to the preceding claim, in which the energy source (15) is of the electrical type. 3. System (11) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the resonant device (11) comprises an electrically conductive body (17) resonating under the effect of the supply of the energy source (15). 4. System (11) according to the preceding claim, in which the electrically conductive body (17) is formed by at least two wires (16, 18) extending according to at least two complementary structures allowing the amplification of the acoustic waves. 5. System (11) according to the preceding claim, wherein the two son (16, 18) are substantially coplanar. 6. System (11) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein each complementary structure forms a first pattern (19) of transmission connected to at least one end pattern (20) arranged to vibrate. 7. System (11) according to the preceding claim, in which the first pattern (19) is a double nested honeycomb structure, each honeycomb structure being formed by one of the wires (16, 18). 8. System (11) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein each end pattern (20) forms a double nested spiral, each spiral being formed by one of the wires (16, 18). 9. System (11) according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the two wires (16, 18) comprise different materials relative to each other. 10. Beehive (1) comprising a box (3) formed of a floor (5) carrying at least one frame (7) intended to receive bee honeycomb structures made by bees, the box (3) being closed by a roof (9), characterized in that a beekeeping identification system (11) is mounted on the external surface of the box (3) in order to amplify the acoustic waves of the hive (1).