Hardware
Build a monitor, or add one you can buy
Hives send readings to HiveControl through HiveDevice, free open-source software that runs on a Raspberry Pi at your apiary. It reads the sensors you build in and commercial ones such as BroodMinder.
Build your own
A basic monitor that weighs the hive and reads its temperature needs:
| Raspberry Pi | A Pi 3B, 3B+, 4, 5 or Zero W, with a 5 V power supply, a microSD card (16 GB or more) and an internet connection. |
|---|---|
| A scale | Load cells and an HX711 amplifier under a platform the hive sits on. This is the sensor that matters most. |
| Temperature and humidity | An SHT31-D or BME280 inside the hive, and another outside or a weather station. |
| Optional extras | A light sensor, a bee counter camera, BroodMinder sensors, or a PurpleAir monitor nearby. |
Image the SD card with Raspberry Pi OS, then install HiveDevice with one command. The step-by-step installation guide covers everything from imaging the card to connecting your sensors, and the code is on GitHub.
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rcrum003/HiveControl/master/easy-install.sh | sudo bashCommercial sensors
Already have commercial sensors? HiveDevice reads BroodMinder scales and temperature sensors over Bluetooth, and weather from a WeatherFlow Tempest, Ambient Weather or OurWeather station, and sends their readings to HiveControl with the rest.
Supported sensors
Weight
- HX711 load cell amplifier
- Phidget 1046 bridge
- CPW-200+ industrial scale
- BroodMinder Bluetooth scales
Temperature and humidity
- SHT31-D
- BME280
- BME680 (adds pressure and air quality)
- DHT22 / AM2302
- BroodMinder Bluetooth sensors
- TEMPer USB
Weather
- WeatherFlow Tempest
- Ambient Weather
- OurWeather
- Weather Underground
Light, air and bees
- TSL2591 / TSL2561 light
- PurpleAir air quality
- Optical bee counter (camera)
Connecting it to HiveControl
- Create a free HiveControl account and add the hive.
- In HiveControl, create a token under Settings → Device API tokens.
- On the HiveDevice’s web page, go to Settings → Basic Config, enter the hive’s name exactly as it is in HiveControl, and paste the token.
- Save. The hive’s readings appear within a few minutes.
Making your own hardware or software?
Anything that can make an HTTP request can send readings. The device API is documented for other open-source projects.
Ready when your hardware is
Free, with or without hardware. Add your hives in a few minutes and connect a monitor whenever you're ready.