Try the QueenRadar model
Upload a comb photo — the model marks the detected objects and the slider sets the confidence threshold. The photo is analyzed on our server and is not stored, unless you tick the consent to donate it for training.
This is the development model — it detects more classes than the app (Varroa, brood and DWV are still in testing) and runs on a single photo. Live camera detection is more accurate thanks to multi-frame stabilization.
How to take a photo in which AI finds the queen
The model only sees what is in the picture. A few habits at the hive matter more than any setting:
- Light. Diffuse daylight works best. Harsh sun causes glare on honey and deep shadows in the cells — stand so the frame is in your own shadow or under a roof.
- Angle. Shoot straight at the comb. A steep angle foreshortens the bees and the queen loses her typical long abdomen.
- Whole frame. Fit one full side of the comb in the shot without much background. If the queen looks tiny, take a second, closer shot of the area with eggs and young larvae.
- Focus. Tap the comb on screen to focus and hold the phone still. Motion blur is the most common reason the queen gets missed.
- Nothing in the way. A glove, finger or hive tool on the comb can cover exactly the spot where the queen sits. Hold the frame by its lugs.
Upload the original file from the camera — messaging apps compress photos heavily and fine detail disappears.
What the boxes and confidence threshold mean
Each box is one detection: the class name (e.g. queen, queen cell) and a number from 0 to 100% — the model's confidence. The threshold slider hides detections below the chosen value.
A lower threshold shows more candidates — useful when the queen is partly hidden — but also more false hits (a drone or a worker with a stretched abdomen). A higher threshold keeps only confident detections. Good practice: start with the default, and if nothing shows up, lower it step by step and judge every box with your own eyes.
The Varroa, damaged brood and DWV classes are experimental — treat them as a hint. For infestation levels, use the mite drop counter for bottom board photos. If you want to find the queen by eye, read our guide onhow to find the queen bee in a hive.
Live in the apiary — the app
The online tester analyzes one photo. The free QueenRadar app for Android does it live: point the camera at the comb and the queen and queen cells are marked in real time. Everything runs offline on the phone, so mobile coverage at the apiary does not matter. The Magnifier mode zooms in and reads the number on the queen's marking disc, and photos and session history stay on your phone.
Frequently asked questions
Does the online tester store my photo?+
No. The photo is analyzed on our server and deleted right away. We keep it only if you tick the consent to donate it for model training.
Why did the model miss the queen when she is in the photo?+
Usually the queen is partly covered by workers, the photo is blurred, or the frame fills only a small part of the shot. Lower the confidence threshold with the slider and take another, closer shot. In the app, live detection analyzes many frames, so it copes with this better.
How is the tester different from the QueenRadar app?+
The tester analyzes a single photo on our server with the development model, which also detects Varroa, damaged brood and DWV experimentally. The Android app detects the queen and queen cells live through the camera, runs offline on the phone and has a Magnifier mode that reads the number on the queen marking disc.
Are the Varroa, brood and DWV results reliable?+
These classes are still in testing, so treat them as a hint, not a diagnosis. For varroa infestation, the mite drop counter working on a bottom board photo is a better tool.