PollenOps has introduced a software platform to streamline operations for commercial beekeepers managing thousands of migratory hives. The system addresses logistical challenges in pollination services and hive health monitoring. Based in Los Angeles, the company aims to modernize an industry reliant on manual tracking methods.
Commercial beekeeping involves overseeing thousands of hives that move across multiple states annually to pollinate crops like almonds, apples, blueberries, and cranberries. These operations require coordinating transportation by truck over thousands of miles, adapting to varying environmental conditions, and fulfilling contracts with growers. Many beekeepers still depend on paper records and spreadsheets for management.
PollenOps, accessible at pollenops.com, offers a centralized platform for tracking hive locations, apiary yards, pollination contracts, disease treatments, and seasonal movements. It supports operations handling thousands of colonies more efficiently by consolidating data.
A key feature is the acoustic hive monitoring system, which employs machine learning models developed with TensorFlow and trained on extensive audio datasets. Sensors placed near hive entrances detect sound patterns indicating colony changes, such as the presence of an active queen, queenless status, or swarming preparations. This non-invasive method alerts beekeepers to potential issues without the need to open hives, saving time in large-scale inspections.
The platform includes a grower marketplace for direct connections between beekeepers and agricultural producers to negotiate and manage pollination agreements, bypassing traditional brokers. It also provides honey yield forecasting by analyzing hive data, weather, nectar flows, and bloom calendars to aid planning for production and sales.
Additional tools cover Varroa mite and disease tracking, integrated with operational data. A bee breeds database details strains used in commercial settings, including temperament, productivity, and disease resistance. Free resources at pollenops.com/tools include calculators for pollination rates, hive strength, honey yields, and migration routes.
"Commercial beekeepers are managing a business that combines agriculture, logistics, and large-scale livestock management," said founder Jake Thornton. "They are moving living colonies across thousands of miles each season while meeting pollination contracts and maintaining hive health. PollenOps was designed to give those operations a centralized system that reflects the complexity of what they do every day."
The platform serves migratory pollination companies, large honey producers, queen breeders, and multi-state apiary managers. It was announced on March 10, 2026, from Los Angeles.