Infrared hive strength assessment for pollination and stewardship
Verifli uses infrared imaging and physics-based modeling to non-invasively measure beehive colony size, replacing manual inspections with objective data. The technology supports pollination contract pricing and provides third-party evidence of hive strength before and after spray events, helping build trust between beekeepers and crop protection applicators.
Overview
Verifli is an infrared-based hive assessment platform that quantifies colony size inside beehives without opening or disturbing them. Colony size is a critical metric in commercial pollination because it determines whether hives are strong enough to effectively pollinate a crop and sets pricing for pollination contracts. By replacing subjective, labor-intensive manual hive inspections with automated thermal analysis, Verifli gives beekeepers, growers, and crop protection companies an objective measure of hive strength.
Beyond pollination management, the technology addresses a persistent challenge between the beekeeping and chemical applicator communities: investigating reported bee kill incidents. Verifli captures hive strength data before and after a spray event, providing independent third-party evidence that can confirm whether a colony was impacted or rule out false claims. This stewardship capability helps protect crop protection companies from unfounded liability while giving beekeepers credible documentation to support legitimate loss claims.
Technical specifications
- Infrared image capture: Thermal cameras image hives in the field without physical contact or disruption to the colony
- Image recognition model: Automated software locates each hive within the captured image and extracts relevant thermal values
- Physics-based analytical model: A thermodynamic model describes the relationship between hive heat signatures and bee population, translating thermal data into colony size estimates
- Non-invasive and objective: Eliminates the subjectivity and labor of manual frame-by-frame inspections while keeping colonies undisturbed
- Field-deployable workflow: Designed for use while hives are deployed in agricultural settings such as almond orchards, enabling in-situ assessment during active pollination
- Data-driven outputs: Generates quantitative colony size measurements that can inform pollination contract pricing, hive placement decisions, and pre/post-spray event comparisons
Technology readiness level
Verifli has progressed through multiple stages of development and field validation. The company received NSF SBIR Phase I and Phase II grants supporting the research, and the technology was validated across several paid field trials over four seasons. The platform has been used commercially during almond pollination seasons and has been deployed in summer pilot engagements. Following the original company's dissolution in 2024, the underlying technology was transferred to the USDA Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, where it remains available for further use and development. The current readiness level supports continued pilot deployments and collaborative refinement rather than a fully off-the-shelf commercial product.
About The Bee Corp
The Bee Corp. was an Indianapolis-based agricultural technology company that developed Verifli, a proprietary software platform designed to optimize crop pollination. The system utilized infrared imagery, data analytics, and smartphone-based mobile applications to non-invasively measure hive strength and bee colony size. By replacing traditional, labor-intensive manual inspections with these automated diagnostic tools, the technology enabled commercial beekeepers and growers to make data-driven management decisions regarding hive health and placement. The company was founded in 2016 by Indiana University alumni Ellie Symes and Wyatt Wells and operated for eight years before dissolving in 2024.
This technology was particularly valuable to commercial growers, such as almond farmers in California, who rely on healthy bee populations to sustain crop yields. By providing accurate insights into hive health, the solution helped reduce operational costs for beekeepers and improved the efficiency of pollination services. Throughout its operation, the startup raised over $3 million in total investment and grant funding, including support from the National Science Foundation. Following the company's dissolution, its Verifli technology was transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Carl Hayden Bee Research Center for further use and development.
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