Honey bee breed analysis from wing photos

Photograph the wings of bees from one colony one by one. The app finds 19 points on the wing veins, compares the wing shape with reference wing measurements and gives the breed percentages of the colony.

These tools are part of the BeesLike mobile app and are available to Pro members. The app is coming soon to the stores; your account is the same on the website and in the app.

Honey bee breed analysis from wing photos – Result

How it works

Photograph the forewings of worker bees from the colony separately; 12 wings are recommended, up to 30. Let the wing fill the screen and keep it sharp.
On each wing the 19 points where the veins meet are located; the wing shape is aligned and measured (geometric morphometrics).
See the colony's breed percentages, lineage, hybrid status and confidence level; save the result to the hive and queen record.

What you get

Breed percentages and confidence

You get percentages, not just a single name; if the wings agree the confidence is high, if they disagree the colony is shown as a hybrid.

Carniolan, Caucasian, Anatolian and more

Subspecies such as Carniolan, Caucasian, Anatolian, European dark bee, Iberian, Cyprian, Macedonian and Yemeni; for Buckfast only a resemblance is reported.

Queen record

The result is written to the hive history and the queen record, so you can follow changes after requeening.

Wing shape gives an estimate, not a genetic test. A single wing can mislead; the result becomes reliable over the colony total. When it is uncertain, the result is given as resembling a breed.

Real screens from the app

Screens from the Turkish interface; the app works in 9 languages.

Frequently asked questions

How can you tell a honey bee breed?

Colour and behaviour can mislead. The shape of the wing veins (wing morphometry) is an established method for separating breeds; a genetic test is needed for certainty.

How many wing photos are needed?

12 wings from the same colony are recommended; accuracy hardly improves beyond 8 to 16 wings. Up to 30 wings can be added.

Can it identify Buckfast bees?

Buckfast is a hybrid line, and wing shape cannot prove it. The app only reports a resemblance to the Buckfast pattern.