A Hall-Effect Sensor-Based Queen Bee Detection System -- a Proof of Concept

Abstract

The queen bee is the central individual responsible for colony establishment, growth, and survival. Reliable confirmation of successful mating, continued queen presence, and normal reproductive performance is essential for effective colony management. We present a queen bee detection system based on an array of Hall-effect sensors and a miniature magnetic tag attached to the queen. The system is designed for continuous operation and real-time monitoring. A prototype was developed, constructed, and evaluated under both laboratory and field conditions. Field experiments conducted in an apiary demonstrated that the system can reliably detect queen bee passages through the hive entrance, enabling the identification of activities associated with mating flights. The results confirm the feasibility of Hall-effect sensing for automated, non-invasive queen bee monitoring and establish magnetic sensing as a promising new measurement modality for precision apiculture.