Bee colonies are complex and are affected by a number of environmental factors that can be hard for beekeepers to get an overview of. It is now possible to acquire this knowledge through gaming, with the new, experiential learning game Healthy Bees.
With Healthy Bees, the player can learn more about what is required for a bee colony to survive. The game highlights the impact of the surrounding landscape, for example, such as access to pollen and nectar and the need to control and provide treatment to combat the varroa mite, which parasitises the honey bee.
“There are so many different factors exerting an influence that it can feel confusing and overwhelming. The idea of the bee game is to highlight these various factors in a form that is easier to take in,” says Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen, research assistant and doctoral student at SLU RådNU.
The game is an experiential learning game and is primarily meant to be played on your mobile phone. The content is based on research regarding bees and pollination. In the game, the player can purchase a bee colony and earn money by selling honey or correctly answering knowledge-based questions. You can then use this money, for example, to buy extra flowers for the landscape, food for the winter or additional knowledge.
“The game shows how the bee colony is affected when the beekeeper harvests honey, providing the player with the opportunity to learn, through trial and error and in a very simplified way, what is the ‘right’ amount of honey to remove.”
Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen has many years of experience supporting beekeepers, and the idea of an educational game was raised during a conference on the subject.
“I got in touch with a class of masters students at the University of Skövde and pitched my idea to them, and a group of students took the bait.”
Students with a range of different skills developed the game as a project assignment, and a successful first version left everyone hungry for more. The next stage in the development journey was made possible thanks to contacts with SLU Holding and basic support from the Swedish Board of Agriculture.
“Mats Wiktorsson at SLU Holding saw the potential in this, providing support which meant that – in addition to advice and tips – we also received additional financial aid through VFT funds that enabled us to move forward.”
The game is available in both Swedish and English, and a beta version was launched during Smedjeveckan science week in Skara. The final adjustments are now set to be made, after which the game will be available to download for free via Appstore, Google play or the website.
“The ambition is to provide a clearer understanding of how beekeepers maintain healthy bee colonies. This is what beekeepers are generally striving to achieve, both in order to contribute to the increased pollination of our crops and the natural environment, at the same time as achieving a good harvest of honey and other bee-related products,” says Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen.
Read more about Lotta Fabricius Kristiansens research.
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