# Monitoring System Enhancing the Potential of Urban Bekeeping
## 1 Introduction  
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in urban bekeeping throughout Europe and North America. Urban bekeeping is the practice of keeping bee colonies in urban areas (within an urban environment) [1, 2]. Many reasons cause the urban setting to be an attractive place for honeybees. In cities, for example, bees are shielded from many pesticides and predators. Large agricultural fields in rural settings are very often a danger zone for these insects as chemical treatments to control crop pests negatively affect bees [3, 4]. Additionally, the period of honey bee activity in urbanized areas is usually longer due to the warmth caused by the heat island effect and better protection from the wind in this environment. Many metropolitan bekeepers believe that bees from urban apiaries are more productive than their country cousins and they also provide healthier products [5, 6, 7]. Urban bekeeping is a specific activity that involves both individual beekeepers and various companies or institutions [7]. Of course, this branch of apiculture will not replace traditional or large-scale bekeeping, but it may play important role in the cities, where it provides many economic, environmental, and social benefits [8]. Bekeeping offers,for example, a range of high-quality products, including honey, pollen, royal jelly, wax, propolisis, and apitoxin [5]. The significant opportunity is its contribution to biodiversity and habitat conservation, as well as helping to improve the pollination of wild and cultivated plants in an urban environment [9; 10; 11]. Urban beekeeping is also a source of serious non-material benefits that are reflected in terms of well-being, recreation, enjoyment, satisfaction, and personal reward to those who practice it or get in touch with it [12]. This activity is often referred to as a rewarding and renowned hobby. Urban apiculture provides valuable educational opportunities [13; 14], encourages connection with nature, promotes the greening of an urban environment, and creates environmental awareness [15]. By installing honey bee hives, people take action to protect bees and all pollinators and begin to rethink their responsibility towards the environment [16]. In this way, the feeling of tightness and connection to nature in cities is created. Urban beekeeping is also interesting from the perspective of a public relations strategy; it may be used for the creation of a positive company image [17; 18]. Owning honey in jars, personalized with the organization's logo and colors, certainly makes a good impression. Non-material benefits of urban beekeeping may be enhanced and become more attractive by using specialized technical infrastructure [19; 20; 21]. For example, digital cameras are a very good tool for the observation of honey bees' behavior [22; 23; 24]. Their remote monitoring is beneficial for many reasons. One of them is associated with the predominant choices of location for beehives in cities. Urban beekeeping is most often realized without access to a large yard, lawn, or flower bed. In many municipalities, the location of apiaries is regulated by governmental agencies or local authorities, to assure protection for both urban residents and honey bees. For example, in Polish cities, apiaries localization rules are defined by municipal councils. In Wroclaw, a 10 m distance is required between the beehive and the nearest people's wandering route [25]. In practice, this condition is very difficult to fulfil in the city, at the ground level. For this reason, the rooftop location is characteristic of urban apiaries. From a perspective of an average human, access to urban beehives is usually difficult, inconvenient, or purposefully restricted. In most cases, it is limited to beekeepers. Video cameras allow for remote observation of honey bees simultaneously by many people, in addition to those who are not specially related to beekeeping, not allowed to enter the apiary, or who are afraid of bees. Their \"virtual\" visits are non-intrusive and safe.