New Zealand's honey exports are now worth around $280 million a year. With high-grade manuka honey fetching about $70 per kilo, beehives have also become a target for thieves.

Hivemind is a New Zealand company using sensor technology to measure things like hive weight, its temperature and bee movements in and out to help beekeepers keep an eye on exactly what's happening, and their beehives' health.

At the moment it's mainly being used by commercial beekeepers who sometimes have hundreds of beehives spread around various remote locations. But a version targeted at the backyard hobbyist is about to hit the market, too.