# Time-series dataset: fondant feeding in overwintering Apis mellifera colonies

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a detailed dataset tracking honey bee colonies' thermal responses to fondant feeding during winter and early spring in different climates.

## Contribution

The study provides a standardized time-series dataset capturing colony thermal responses to fondant feeding in varying winter conditions.

## Key findings

- The dataset includes measurements from Ukraine and Canada under different winter conditions.
- Non-invasive IoT hive sensors captured temperature, humidity, and weight data for analysis.
- The dataset supports protocols for scheduled fondant feeding to reduce winter colony losses.

## Abstract

Winter mortality of honey bee colonies remains high and reduces early-spring pollination. Fondant feeding is a common emergency intervention, yet quantitative descriptions of colony and microclimate responses—especially homogeneous time-series—are scarce. Milder winters and unstable springs further elevate starvation risk and complicate overwintering. We present a homogeneous time-series dataset that captures the thermal response of overwintering Apis mellifera colonies to fondant feeding under these conditions. The dataset fills this gap and supports reproducible protocols for winter and early-spring fondant feeding.

The dataset covers Ukraine (mild winter, unstable spring; one colony) and Canada (record-warm winter; three colonies; four feeding events). Data were collected non-invasively from identical Internet of Things (IoT) hives equipped with internal/external temperature (°C) and relative humidity (%) sensors, a load-cell scale, and a solar-powered acquisition and transmission unit. Measurements were recorded at fixed intervals to ensure homogeneous time series. The repository provides raw and cleaned data, a variable dictionary, cleaning/imputation rules, an event log, and a validation script, enabling quantitative assessment for forecasting colony development and for designing scheduled fondant feeding to help reduce winter losses and prepare colonies for early-spring pollination.