Validation of a Low-Cost Digital Apiculture System Under Variable Colony Dynamics: A Southern European Case Study

Beekeeping is highly affected by climate change, which alters environmental conditions and challenges colony stability. In this context, digital monitoring technologies can enhance apiary resilience. This study presents the development and field validation of a low-cost hive monitoring system based on a customizable Raspberry Pi architecture, integrating temperature and weight sensors with robust data continuity features. The system was evaluated over one year in Southern Europe (Serbia) against a commercial reference. Results show that correlation between systems depends on both the monitored parameter and the biological state of the colony. For weight, strong agreement was observed only during winter, when reduced biological activity allows reliable comparison, whereas correlations were weak in more active periods. Conversely, temperature monitoring exhibited the highest correlation over long-term datasets, indicating that extended time scales are required for reliable sensor validation. These findings highlight the importance of a context-aware validation approach in apiculture. The proposed system provides a cost-effective and reliable solution for continuous hive monitoring, supporting data-driven management and improved resilience under climate variability.