AI in the Bee Yard: Getting Started with AI for Beekeepers

Artificial intelligence is rapidly finding its way into everyday tools—but where does it fit in the bee yard? In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman begin exploring how beekeepers can put AI to practical use without treating it as an unquestioned authority.

Jeff and Becky discuss using AI to organize colony inspection notes, create spreadsheets for mite monitoring, analyze data, help locate research and extension resources, and assist with projects such as grant applications. They also address the other side of the equation: AI can sound convincing while providing inaccurate information, invent sources, misinterpret images, or claim capabilities it does not actually have.

Jeff shares his own experiment asking AI to identify and count Varroa mites from photographs of IPM boards—with decidedly mixed results.

Their takeaway is straightforward: use AI as an assistant, much like a student or intern. Ask questions, challenge the answers, request sources, and verify important information yourself.

And this is only the beginning.

Websites from the episode and others we recommend:

Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org The National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com