Managing Apiaries

Create, edit, and organize your apiary locations

Overview

Apiaries are the physical locations where you keep your beehives. Softbee allows you to manage multiple apiaries, each with its own beehives, inventory, and monitoring data.

Creating a New Apiary

1. Open the Apiary Creation Dialog

   From the main dashboard, tap the “Add New Apiary” button or the + icon.

   You’ll see a dialog titled “Crear Nuevo Apiary” (Create New Apiary).

2. Enter Apiary Name

   Field: name (Required)

   Provide a descriptive name for your apiary:

   • Minimum 3 characters
   • Example: “Apiario El Prado”, “Valley Bee Farm”

   Choose a name that helps you easily identify the location, especially if you manage multiple apiaries.

3. Add Location Information

   Field: location (Optional)

   Enter the physical address or description of your apiary location:

   • Example: “Vereda La Esperanza, Cota”
   • Example: “Mountain Road, Plot 15, Rural Area”

   The app will validate the location and show a green checkmark if the text is not empty.

   Even though location is optional, adding it helps you keep track of multiple sites and can be useful for weather tracking and planning visits.

4. Configure Treatment Settings

   Field: treatments (Boolean)

   Toggle the “Aplicar Tratamientos” (Apply Treatments) switch:

   • ON: You apply treatments when bees are sick
   • OFF: You don’t apply treatments

   This setting helps you track your apiary management approach.

5. Save Your Apiary

   Click the “Crear Apiario” (Create Apiary) button to save.

   The system will:

   • Validate all required fields
   • Create the apiary in the database
   • Initialize the beehive count to 0
   • Return you to the dashboard

Editing an Existing Apiary

1. Locate the Apiary

   Find the apiary you want to edit in your dashboard or apiary list.

2. Open the Edit Dialog

   Tap the edit icon (pencil icon) on the apiary card.

   The dialog will be pre-filled with the current apiary information:

   • Apiary name
   • Location
   • Treatment settings
3. Modify the Information

   Update any of the fields:

   • Change the name
   • Update the location
   • Toggle the treatment setting

   The beehive count (beehives_count) is preserved automatically and cannot be manually edited. It’s updated automatically when you add or remove beehives.

4. Save Changes

   Click “Guardar Cambios” (Save Changes) to update the apiary.

   If there are any errors, they will be displayed in the dialog.

Apiary Data Structure

Each apiary stores the following information:

Field	Type	Description	Required
id	String	Unique identifier for the apiary	Auto-generated
user_id	String	ID of the user who owns the apiary	Auto-set
name	String	Name of the apiary	Yes
location	String	Physical location or address	No
beehives_count	Integer	Number of beehives in this apiary	Auto-updated
treatments	Boolean	Whether treatments are applied	Yes
created_at	DateTime	When the apiary was created	Auto-set

Managing Multiple Apiaries

Best Practices

Use Descriptive Names

Include location information in the apiary name for quick identification:

• “North Field Apiary”
• “Riverside Bee Farm”
• “Urban Rooftop Hives”

Keep Location Information Updated

Accurate location data helps with:

• Planning inspection routes
• Weather-based insights
• Regulatory compliance
• Emergency response

Track Treatment Approach

Use the treatments setting to differentiate between:

• Organic/treatment-free apiaries
• Conventional management apiaries
• This helps when managing certifications or different customer requirements

Viewing Apiary Details

Each apiary card displays:

• Apiary Name: The name you assigned
• Location: The physical location (if provided)
• Beehive Count: Number of beehives currently at this location
• Creation Date: When the apiary was added to the system

Navigation from Apiaries

From an apiary, you can access:

1. Apiary Dashboard: Overview of all beehives and statistics
2. Monitoring:
   • Beehive management (/beehive)
   • Custom questions (/questions)
   • Voice assistant (Maya)
3. Inventory: Manage supplies specific to this apiary
4. Settings: Edit apiary details

Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Setting Up a New Location

1. Create the apiary with location details
2. Add existing beehives to the apiary
3. Set up inventory items for this location
4. Configure custom inspection questions

Workflow 2: Seasonal Management

1. Review all apiaries before the season
2. Update location information if hives were moved
3. Verify beehive counts are accurate
4. Check inventory levels for the upcoming season

Troubleshooting

Error: 'Por favor, introduce el nombre del apiario'

This error appears when:

• The name field is empty
• The name has fewer than 3 characters

Solution: Enter a name with at least 3 characters.

Location validation shows a warning

The app validates location entries. If you see a warning:

• The location couldn’t be verified
• But it will still be saved
• Ensure the location string is descriptive and accurate

Changes aren't saving

If the “Guardar Cambios” button doesn’t work:

1. Check for validation error messages in red text
2. Ensure you have an internet connection
3. Try closing and reopening the dialog
4. Contact support if the issue persists

Next Steps

Once your apiaries are set up:

• Add beehives to track individual colonies
• Set up inventory tracking for each location
• Configure inspections to monitor hive health

The beehive count updates automatically as you add or remove beehives, so you don’t need to manually track this number.