Bees

1. Scope and Applicability

This PCR guides foreground data package construction for live bees transferred as live animals at a declared apiary, breeder, package producer, queen producer, holding, or delivery gate. It covers honey bees and other managed bee species where the product is live bees, including colonies, nucleus colonies, packages, queen bees with attendants, brood frames, or comparable live-bee units.

Excluded products are natural honey, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, venom, pollination service, beekeeping service, honey extraction equipment, downstream crop pollination, and downstream honey or wax production unless a study explicitly expands scope and declares allocation.

2. Product Category Identity

Field	Value
canonical_pcr_id	pcr.agriculture-forestry-and-fishery-products.live-animals-and-animal-products-excluding-meat.bees
classification_refs	CPC 3.0 02196, Bees
covered_products	live bees transferred as colonies, nucleus colonies, packages, queen bees with attendants, brood frames, or comparable live-bee units
excluded_products	honey; beeswax; propolis; royal jelly; bee venom; pollination service; beekeeping service; beekeeping equipment; downstream crop pollination; downstream honey or wax production
representative_product	live bees at declared colony or package condition and declared health status
production_route	colony stock entry, apiary establishment, colony management and feeding, health treatment and hive maintenance, live-bee packing and dispatch
market_state	live animal, unprocessed, at declared species, life stage, caste mix, package or colony unit, colony strength, health status, and transfer gate

3. Reference Flow

Field	Value
What	live bees at declared transfer gate
How much	1 kg live bee mass
How well	declared species, life stage, caste mix, colony or package unit, queen status, colony strength, health status, and live-bee mass or count conversion
How long or cycle	one declared colony production, split, queen production, package production, or dispatch cycle
reference_flow_link	Reference amount and product flow below

Field	Value
Reference amount	1 kg
Reference product flow	Bees 0be7ee1d-758e-458f-9dba-56d8c5298875
Reference flow property	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66
Reference unit group	Units of mass 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66
Reference unit	kg live bee mass
Required qualifiers	species; life stage; caste mix; colony, nucleus, package, queen, brood-frame, or other unit type; queen presence and status; colony strength or bee count basis; health or certification status; geography and declared gate; transport inclusion status

When constructing a foreground data package, the items listed in Required qualifiers must be declared in dataset metadata, process notes, reference flow comment, product description, or an equivalent data package field. Missing required qualifiers make the reference flow definition incomplete for that data package.

Mass live bee basis is the primary reference flow. Colony count, package count, queen count, brood-frame count, or bee-count records may be used only when a documented conversion to live bee mass is provided.

4. Measurement and Unit Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Required property	Required unit	Rule
reference_live_bee_mass	reference product	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg live bee mass	The reference flow must be expressed as kg live bees at the declared transfer gate.
count_to_mass_conversion	colony, package, queen, brood-frame, or bee-count records	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg live bee mass	Count-based live-bee records must include measured mass or a documented conversion by unit type, bee count, or colony strength.
colony_strength_basis	colony and nucleus units	Number of items 01846770-4cfe-4a25-8ad9-919d8d378345 and Mass	frames, seams, adult bee count, brood area, or kg live bee mass	Declare the colony-strength metric used and preserve enough information to convert to the reference mass where needed.
supplemental_feed_basis	sugar syrup, candy, pollen substitute, and feed supplements	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg sugar, kg dry matter, or kg as-fed	Feed records must state concentration, dry matter, sugar content, or as-fed basis before normalization.
treatment_active_ingredient_basis	veterinary and pest-control treatments	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg active ingredient or product-specific unit	Treatment records must identify product, active ingredient where available, dose, treated colony count, and withholding or certification relevance.
energy_inventory	electricity, fuel, refrigeration, holding, and dispatch energy	Net calorific value 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66	MJ or kWh	State whether each energy value is final electricity, fuel lower heating value, refrigeration energy, or transport service energy.

5. System Boundary

The default boundary is foreground data collection to the declared live-bee transfer gate:

1. Live bee stock, queen stock, nucleus or package inputs, hive consumables, feed, water, medicines, pest-control products, packaging, cages, fuel, electricity, and purchased services when they are part of the foreground data package.
2. Apiary establishment and colony management: splits, queen rearing, feeding, inspections, hive maintenance, moving colonies inside the foreground system, and swarm or loss management.
3. Bee health and pest control: monitoring, sampling, treatments, certification checks, and recordkeeping for diseases and pests where material.
4. Live-bee packing, caging, holding, ventilation, temperature control, dispatch, and delivery when included in the declared gate.

Honey extraction, wax rendering, pollination service delivered to crops, and downstream crop production are outside the default boundary. Hive boxes and durable equipment are included only when the declared data package scope includes capital goods or when replacement materials cross the foreground boundary as consumables.

This boundary is a data-production abstraction. Declared parent colonies, purchased queens, packages, or nucleus colonies are starting-condition records. Same-category live-bee inputs are not recursively traced as a new live-bee PCR inside the same package; their identity, unit type, mass or count conversion, source, and prior-burden treatment are disclosed.

Boundary Abstraction

Field	Value
declared_starting_condition	parent_colony_or_live_bee_stock_entry
starting_condition_role	live_bee_identity_and_reproduction_condition
product_classification_scope	current CPC 3.0 product category 02196, Bees
recursive_input_rule	input flow in the same product category that causes recursive tracing is recorded as declared starting condition or purchased live-bee stock entry, with prior-burden treatment disclosed
upstream_dataset_requirement	disclose source, unit type, species, life stage, caste mix, queen status, health status, mass or count conversion, acquisition date, and whether upstream live-bee burdens are included, excluded, or represented by secondary data
disclosure	record apiary or breeder boundary, production route, colony-strength basis, live-bee mass conversion, health or certification status, feed basis, treatment regime, mortality or escape fate, package or cage state, and declared gate

6. Process Inventory Structure

Process Map

process_id	process_name	inclusion	inclusion_condition	role	quantitative_reference
live_bee_stock_entry	Live Bee Stock Entry	required		foreground	live bee stock entering the foreground system
colony_management_and_feeding	Colony Management and Feeding	required		foreground	maintained colony, nucleus, package, queen, or brood unit
health_treatment_and_hive_maintenance	Health Treatment and Hive Maintenance	required		foreground	treated and maintained live-bee unit
live_bee_packing_and_dispatch	Live Bee Packing and Dispatch	conditional	include when the declared gate includes caging, package assembly, holding, loading, or delivery	foreground/downstream	live bees transferred at declared gate

Process: Live Bee Stock Entry (live_bee_stock_entry)

Inputs

Product flows

Parent colony or purchased live bee stock (parent_colony_or_purchased_live_bee_stock)

Parent colonies, purchased queens, packages, nucleus colonies, brood frames, or comparable live-bee stock are recorded as the live-bee starting condition.

• Selected flow: Bees 0be7ee1d-758e-458f-9dba-56d8c5298875
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg live bee mass
• Amount rule: measured live bee mass or documented count-to-mass conversion by unit type
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per live-bee stock entry lot
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_live_bee_stock_entry_records
• Sources: fao-good-beekeeping-2019, woah-bee-diseases
• Range: Provisional live-bee stock entry screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 2
  • Unit: kg live bee input/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass live-bee stock mass entering the foreground system
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Hive consumables for stock entry (hive_consumables_for_stock_entry)

Frames, comb foundation, cages, feed cans, screens, and short-life hive consumables are recorded when they cross the foreground boundary for live-bee production.

• Selected flow: Select applicable hive, cage, frame, wax foundation, or packaging material flow
• Flow property / unit: Mass or number of items / kg or item
• Amount rule: measured material mass or item count, with unit mass where count-based
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per live-bee stock entry lot
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hive_material_and_packaging_records
• Range: Provisional hive consumable screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 5
  • Unit: kg material/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass short-life hive, cage, frame, or package material input
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

No waste input is normally required for stock entry. Include recovered comb, used cages, or other recovered materials only when they cross the foreground boundary as inputs.

Elementary flows

No elementary input is normally required beyond land or site occupation when the declared data package includes apiary land occupation.

Outputs

Product flows

Accepted live bee stock for management (accepted_live_bee_stock_for_management)

Accepted live bee stock is the live-bee output entering colony management and feeding.

• Selected flow: Bees 0be7ee1d-758e-458f-9dba-56d8c5298875
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg live bee mass
• Amount rule: accepted live bee mass or count-to-mass conversion after stock-entry inspection
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: stock entry process output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_live_bee_stock_entry_records
• Range: Accepted live-bee stock identity
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg/kg stock entry process output
  • Basis: accepted live-bee stock process output
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Method formula (method_formula)
  • Sources: mass-balance-identity

Waste flows

Rejected or dead bees at stock entry (rejected_or_dead_bees_at_stock_entry)

Dead bees, rejected queens, failed packages, or condemned stock are recorded with mass or count conversion and fate.

• Selected flow: Select applicable bee mortality, biological waste, or rejected live-animal flow
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured or estimated live bee mass and disposal route
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per live-bee stock entry lot
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_mortality_escape_and_reject_records
• Sources: fao-good-beekeeping-2019
• Range: Provisional stock-entry reject screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.5
  • Unit: kg/kg live bee stock entry
  • Basis: broad first-pass rejected or dead bee mass at stock entry
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Elementary flows

Record direct site emissions only when site-specific records show material emissions from stock entry operations.

Process: Colony Management and Feeding (colony_management_and_feeding)

Inputs

Product flows

Live bee stock under management (live_bee_stock_under_management)

Live bee stock under management is the accepted stock maintained, split, requeened, or grown for transfer.

• Selected flow: Bees 0be7ee1d-758e-458f-9dba-56d8c5298875
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg live bee mass
• Amount rule: measured mass or documented count-to-mass conversion by colony, package, queen, nucleus, or brood unit
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per managed live-bee unit
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_live_bee_colony_management_records
• Range: Managed live-bee stock reconciliation
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 2
  • Unit: kg managed live bee/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass live-bee mass retained, split, or prepared for sale
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Supplemental sugar feed (supplemental_sugar_feed)

Sugar syrup, candy, fondant, dry sugar, and similar supplemental carbohydrate feeds are recorded by product mass and sugar concentration.

• Selected flow: Glucose 7c6f0597-0a8b-4677-abca-a5f59b1c012c; sugar syrup or feed selected from site records
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg sugar, kg dry matter, or kg as-fed
• Amount rule: measured feed issue and concentration or dry matter basis
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per managed colony, package, queen-production batch, or kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_feed_and_water_records
• Sources: fao-good-beekeeping-2019
• Range: Provisional supplemental sugar feed screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 100
  • Unit: kg sugar/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass supplemental sugar feed assigned to live-bee production
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Protein feed and supplements (protein_feed_and_supplements)

Pollen substitute, pollen patties, protein supplements, and mineral or vitamin supplements are recorded when used.

• Selected flow: Prepared fermentable feed b25e209d-4bef-4a2f-8fad-46e4d7de3d76
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg as-fed and kg dry matter where available
• Amount rule: measured feed issue and declared composition
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per managed colony, batch, or kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_feed_and_water_records
• Range: Provisional protein supplement screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 20
  • Unit: kg feed/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass protein supplement assigned to live-bee production
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Water for feeding and handling (water_for_feeding_and_handling)

Water used to mix feed, maintain bees, clean equipment, or support holding is recorded by source and use.

• Selected flow: Process water ec205030-248c-496f-9cf2-06d9d26dc6ff
• Flow property / unit: Mass or volume / kg, L, or m3
• Amount rule: measured water use or calculated water content of prepared feed
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per managed colony, batch, or kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_feed_and_water_records
• Range: Provisional water screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: m3/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass water used for feed mixing, handling, and holding
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Apiary energy and movement fuel (apiary_energy_and_movement_fuel)

Electricity and fuel used for apiary visits, lifting, feeding, ventilation, short-distance movement, refrigeration, and holding are recorded by carrier.

• Selected flow: Electricity f872677d-2f66-428a-a94e-f0fba61231df; Diesel oil 9d258d75-6792-4f1c-9856-81602ed8f816 where used
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value / MJ or kWh
• Amount rule: measured meter, fuel invoice, equipment log, or route allocation
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per managed colony, batch, route, or kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Fuel inventory (fuel_inventory)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_energy_and_movement_records
• Range: Provisional apiary energy screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 50
  • Unit: MJ/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass energy and movement fuel assigned to live-bee production
  • Basis kind: Fuel inventory (fuel_inventory)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

No waste input is normally required for colony management. Include recovered feed, used packaging, or other recovered materials only when they cross the foreground boundary as inputs.

Elementary flows

Water withdrawal for live bee management (water_withdrawal_for_live_bee_management)

Water withdrawal is calculated from feed-mixing, cleaning, and holding water records when elementary water flows are reported.

• Selected flow: water 419682fe-60fb-4b43-be89-bf2824b51104
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: calculated from water source and quantity records
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_feed_and_water_records
• Range: Provisional water withdrawal screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1000
  • Unit: kg water/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass water withdrawal for live-bee management
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Outputs

Product flows

Managed live bee unit (managed_live_bee_unit)

Managed live bee unit is the colony, nucleus, package, queen batch, or brood unit prepared for health treatment, maintenance, or dispatch.

• Selected flow: Bees 0be7ee1d-758e-458f-9dba-56d8c5298875
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg live bee mass
• Amount rule: measured mass or documented count-to-mass conversion
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: colony management process output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_live_bee_colony_management_records
• Range: Managed live-bee output identity
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg/kg colony management process output
  • Basis: managed live-bee process output
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Method formula (method_formula)
  • Sources: mass-balance-identity

Waste flows

Dead bees, failed queens, and swarm loss (dead_bees_failed_queens_and_swarm_loss)

Dead bees, failed queens, non-marketable colonies, swarm losses, and escape losses are recorded with mass or count conversion and fate.

• Selected flow: Select applicable bee mortality, biological waste, escaped live-animal, or rejected live-bee flow
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured or estimated live bee mass by event and fate
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per managed colony, batch, or kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_mortality_escape_and_reject_records
• Sources: fao-good-beekeeping-2019, woah-bee-diseases
• Range: Provisional mortality and swarm-loss screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass dead bees, failed queens, non-marketable stock, and swarm loss
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Elementary flows

Fossil carbon dioxide from apiary energy (fossil_carbon_dioxide_from_apiary_energy)

Fossil carbon dioxide from apiary energy is calculated from fuel and electricity records with declared emission factors.

• Selected flow: carbon dioxide (fossil), emissions to air unspecified 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-923d-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: energy quantity multiplied by declared fuel or electricity emission factor
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Generic (generic)
• Normalization basis: per fuel inventory
• Basis kind: Fuel inventory (fuel_inventory)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_energy_and_movement_records
• Range: Provisional apiary energy fossil CO2 screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 10
  • Unit: kg CO2/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass fossil CO2 from apiary energy and movement fuel
  • Basis kind: Fuel inventory (fuel_inventory)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Process: Health Treatment and Hive Maintenance (health_treatment_and_hive_maintenance)

Inputs

Product flows

Veterinary and pest-control treatments (veterinary_and_pest_control_treatments)

Bee medicines, varroa or pest treatments, disinfectants, sanitation chemicals, and other health inputs are recorded when applied or material to certification.

• Selected flow: Veterinary Chemical Drug Raw Materials b2891b2b-41b0-46b5-bf2f-e5726c977d74; Cypermethrin 7fcf6100-764e-41ca-af06-056495e2b8c4 only when specifically used
• Flow property / unit: Mass or product-specific unit / kg active ingredient, kg product, dose, or item
• Amount rule: measured product amount, active ingredient where available, treated colony count, date, and treatment purpose
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per treated colony, batch, or kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_treatment_and_health_records
• Sources: fao-good-beekeeping-2019, woah-varroosis-code
• Range: Provisional treatment input screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg product/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass bee health and pest-control product input
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Hive repair and maintenance materials (hive_repair_and_maintenance_materials)

Replacement frames, comb foundation, cages, screens, fasteners, paint, cleaning materials, and other short-life materials are recorded when used.

• Selected flow: Select applicable hive repair, frame, wax foundation, cage, screen, or maintenance material flow
• Flow property / unit: Mass or number of items / kg or item
• Amount rule: measured material mass or item count, with unit mass where count-based
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per maintained colony, batch, or kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hive_material_and_packaging_records
• Range: Provisional maintenance material screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 5
  • Unit: kg material/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass hive maintenance and short-life material input
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

No waste input is normally required for health treatment and hive maintenance.

Elementary flows

Include direct emissions from treatment application only when the declared method, product label, or site record supports an emission flow.

Outputs

Product flows

Healthy live bee unit for dispatch (healthy_live_bee_unit_for_dispatch)

Healthy live bee unit for dispatch is the treated or inspected live-bee product output.

• Selected flow: Bees 0be7ee1d-758e-458f-9dba-56d8c5298875
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg live bee mass
• Amount rule: measured mass or documented count-to-mass conversion after inspection or treatment
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: health treatment process output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_health_inspection_and_certification_records
• Range: Healthy live-bee output identity
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg/kg health treatment process output
  • Basis: treated or inspected live-bee process output
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Method formula (method_formula)
  • Sources: mass-balance-identity

Waste flows

Treatment residues and condemned bee material (treatment_residues_and_condemned_bee_material)

Treatment packaging, contaminated comb, condemned bees, diseased colonies, and rejected hive materials are recorded with mass and fate.

• Selected flow: Select applicable treatment residue, biological waste, contaminated comb, or rejected hive material flow
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured residue or condemned material mass and treatment route
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per treated colony, batch, or kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_treatment_residue_and_waste_records
• Sources: fao-good-beekeeping-2019, woah-bee-diseases
• Range: Provisional treatment residue screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg residue/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass treatment residue, condemned bee material, or contaminated comb
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Elementary flows

Declare product-specific direct emissions only when a treatment method, measurement record, or reviewed emission factor supports the flow.

Process: Live Bee Packing and Dispatch (live_bee_packing_and_dispatch)

Inputs

Product flows

Live bee unit entering pack-out (live_bee_unit_entering_pack_out)

Live bees entering pack-out are recorded when caging, package assembly, queen shipment, holding, loading, or delivery is inside the declared gate.

• Selected flow: Bees 0be7ee1d-758e-458f-9dba-56d8c5298875
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg live bee mass
• Amount rule: measured mass or count-to-mass conversion entering pack-out
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: pack-out input
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_live_bee_packing_dispatch_records
• Range: Pack-out live-bee input reconciliation
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.5
  • Upper: 1.5
  • Unit: kg/kg dispatched live bee output
  • Basis: live-bee mass entering pack-out relative to dispatched output
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Live bee packaging and holding materials (live_bee_packaging_and_holding_materials)

Cages, package boxes, screens, cans, queen cages, labels, feed for transit, absorbents, and other dispatch materials are recorded by item count and mass where available.

• Selected flow: Packaging materials, unspecified 7336a8ee-9e4d-49a6-9fe5-ce285f613245; specific cage or package material selected from site records
• Flow property / unit: Mass or number of items / kg or item
• Amount rule: measured item count, material mass, and unit capacity
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per package, queen shipment, colony shipment, or kg live-bee output
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hive_material_and_packaging_records
• Range: Provisional live-bee packaging screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 10
  • Unit: kg packaging/kg live bee output
  • Basis: broad first-pass cage, package, and transit material input
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Dispatch energy and transport service (dispatch_energy_and_transport_service)

Electricity, ventilation, cooling, fuel, and route-specific transport service are recorded when included in the declared gate.

• Selected flow: Diesel oil 9d258d75-6792-4f1c-9856-81602ed8f816; electricity or transport service selected from route records
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value or transport service / MJ, kWh, or tonne-km
• Amount rule: measured fuel, electricity, carrier invoice, route distance, or tonne-km
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Route-specific (route_specific)
• Normalization basis: per dispatched kg live bee mass
• Basis kind: Transport service (transport_service)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_dispatch_energy_and_transport_records
• Range: Provisional dispatch energy screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 100
  • Unit: MJ/kg dispatched live bee mass
  • Basis: broad first-pass holding, ventilation, cooling, and route energy
  • Basis kind: Transport service (transport_service)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

No waste input is normally required.

Elementary flows

Include direct combustion emissions from dispatch only when fuel is combusted inside the foreground system.

Outputs

Product flows

Declared transferred live bees (declared_transferred_live_bees)

Declared transferred live bees are the reference product output at the declared gate.

• Selected flow: Bees 0be7ee1d-758e-458f-9dba-56d8c5298875
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg live bee mass
• Amount rule: measured mass or documented count-to-mass conversion at declared transfer gate
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: PCR reference output
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_live_bee_packing_dispatch_records
• Range: Live-bee reference output identity
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg/kg PCR reference output
  • Basis: live-bee reference output
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Method formula (method_formula)
  • Sources: mass-balance-identity

Waste flows

Dispatch mortalities and returned packaging (dispatch_mortalities_and_returned_packaging)

Dead bees during holding or dispatch, failed shipments, returned cages, feed cans, and packaging waste are recorded with mass and fate.

• Selected flow: Select applicable bee mortality, biological waste, packaging waste, or returned package material flow
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured or estimated dead bee mass, package material mass, and disposal or reuse route
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per dispatched kg live bee mass
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_dispatch_mortality_and_packaging_waste_records
• Range: Provisional dispatch mortality and packaging waste screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 2
  • Unit: kg waste/kg dispatched live bee mass
  • Basis: broad first-pass dispatch mortality and package waste
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Elementary flows

Fossil carbon dioxide from dispatch energy (fossil_carbon_dioxide_from_dispatch_energy)

Fossil carbon dioxide from dispatch energy is calculated from fuel and energy records.

• Selected flow: carbon dioxide (fossil), emissions to air unspecified 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-923d-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: dispatch fuel or energy quantity multiplied by declared emission factor
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Route-specific (route_specific)
• Normalization basis: per dispatch energy inventory
• Basis kind: Fuel inventory (fuel_inventory)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_dispatch_energy_and_transport_records
• Range: Provisional dispatch fossil CO2 screening estimate
  • Range role: Default estimate (default_estimate)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 20
  • Unit: kg CO2/kg dispatched live bee mass
  • Basis: broad first-pass fossil CO2 from dispatch energy and route fuel
  • Basis kind: Fuel inventory (fuel_inventory)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

No allocation is required when the only product output is transferred live bees and dead bees or packaging residues are treated as wastes with declared treatment. If honey, wax, propolis, royal jelly, venom, pollination service, queen breeding service, hive products, or another co-product is credited inside the foreground boundary, allocation must be declared before publication.

Preferred hierarchy:

1. Subdivide processes when records separate live-bee production from honey extraction, wax rendering, pollination service, or other co-product routes.
2. Use physical allocation only when a causal physical relationship is documented, such as mass for hive product streams or colony-use time for pollination service.
3. Use economic allocation when physical allocation is not defensible and market values are available.
4. Report system expansion or substitution only as an additional scenario, with substituted product, geography, and avoided-burden dataset disclosed.

8. Foreground Data Collection, Calculation, and Quality Rules

Data Collection Protocols

protocol_id	process_id	flow_role	record_type	raw_fields	collection_method	unit	frequency	temporal_coverage	site_scope	aggregation_rule	quality_evidence
cp_live_bee_stock_entry_records	live_bee_stock_entry	parent colony or purchased live bee stock	purchase, split, queen, package, nucleus, brood-frame, or receiving record	source; species; unit type; queen status; life stage; caste mix; colony strength; bee count or mass; health status; acquisition date; upstream burden treatment	receiving record, breeder certificate, health certificate, scale record, colony inspection, or count-to-mass conversion	kg live bee mass, colony, nucleus, package, queen, frame, or head	per stock entry or batch	production cycle	apiary, breeder, or stock-entry lot	convert unit records to live bee mass and reconcile accepted, rejected, dead, or escaped bees	scale record, receiving record, health certificate, inspection record
cp_live_bee_colony_management_records	colony_management_and_feeding	managed live bee stock	colony inspection, split, queen rearing, package production, or apiary management record	colony id; unit type; queen status; brood stage; adult bee estimate; frame or seam count; date; management action	apiary log, inspection record, production batch record, or breeder log	colony, frame, seam, head, or kg live bee mass	inspection, batch, week, month, or production cycle	production cycle	apiary, breeder yard, queen yard, or package production unit	reconcile live-bee stock entries, splits, losses, and outputs by unit type and mass conversion	apiary log, inspection sheet, breeder record
cp_feed_and_water_records	colony_management_and_feeding	supplemental feed and water	feed issue, syrup preparation, water, or feeding record	feed type; sugar concentration; dry matter or as-fed basis; product mass; water quantity; treated colonies; date	feed log, invoice, syrup mixing sheet, meter, or tank record	kg, L, m3, kg dry matter, kg sugar	per feeding event, batch, or reporting period	production cycle	apiary, feed room, or production batch	convert to kg sugar or dry matter where needed and allocate by colony, batch, or live-bee output	invoice, feed log, mixing sheet, meter record
cp_energy_and_movement_records	colony_management_and_feeding	apiary energy and movement fuel	electricity, fuel, equipment, or movement record	carrier; quantity; route; operation; colonies served; period; allocation method	utility bill, fuel invoice, route log, equipment log, or telematics	kWh, MJ, L, kg fuel, km, or tonne-km	operation, route, month, or cycle	production cycle	apiary, route, holding room, or production site	convert to MJ or kWh and allocate to live-bee production using documented basis	invoice, meter record, fuel log, route record
cp_treatment_and_health_records	health_treatment_and_hive_maintenance	veterinary and pest-control treatments	treatment, pest monitoring, medicine, or certification record	product; active ingredient; dose; treated colony count; date; target pest or disease; certification relevance	treatment log, veterinary record, product label, laboratory result, health certificate, or inspection record	kg, L, dose, strip, item, or product-specific unit	per treatment or inspection event	production cycle	apiary, colony, queen yard, or package lot	sum active ingredient or product amount and normalize to treated units and live-bee output	treatment log, product label, inspection result, health certificate
cp_hive_material_and_packaging_records	live_bee_stock_entry; health_treatment_and_hive_maintenance; live_bee_packing_and_dispatch	hive consumables and packaging	material purchase, cage, frame, comb, package, or dispatch material record	material type; mass; item count; capacity; reuse status; batch or shipment	inventory issue record, packing log, invoice, or unit mass specification	kg or item	per batch, shipment, replacement, or reporting period	production cycle or dispatch period	apiary, shop, packing room, or shipment	sum material mass and item count; allocate reusable materials by declared reuse or depreciation rule only when in scope	invoice, packing log, inventory record
cp_health_inspection_and_certification_records	health_treatment_and_hive_maintenance	healthy live bee unit for dispatch	inspection, certification, or release record	species; unit type; queen status; colony strength; disease or pest status; treatment status; release date	apiary inspection, veterinary certificate, lab result, or dispatch approval	kg live bee mass, colony, package, queen, or frame	per inspection, lot, or shipment	dispatch cycle	apiary, breeder, or dispatch lot	identify accepted live-bee units and convert to reference mass	certificate, inspection record, laboratory result
cp_treatment_residue_and_waste_records	health_treatment_and_hive_maintenance	treatment residues and condemned bee material	residue, contaminated comb, condemned colony, or disposal record	waste type; mass; treatment product; colony or batch; fate	scale record, disposal ticket, treatment log, or inspection record	kg	per event or reporting period	production cycle	apiary, treatment area, or waste route	sum residue and condemned material mass by fate	disposal ticket, treatment log, inspection record
cp_live_bee_packing_dispatch_records	live_bee_packing_and_dispatch	declared transferred live bees	package, queen cage, colony, nucleus, brood frame, or shipment record	unit type; unit count; bee count or mass; queen status; shipment id; gate; date; receiver; health status	packing log, scale record, shipping document, certificate, or count-to-mass conversion	kg live bee mass, package, colony, queen, frame, or head	per shipment or batch	dispatch period	packing room, apiary, holding room, or route	convert package or colony records to kg live bee mass and reconcile dispatched output	packing log, scale record, dispatch note, health certificate
cp_dispatch_energy_and_transport_records	live_bee_packing_and_dispatch	dispatch energy and transport	holding, ventilation, cooling, carrier, fuel, or route record	route; distance; vehicle; energy; fuel; carrier invoice; shipment mass; holding duration	carrier invoice, route log, fuel log, utility meter, or dispatch record	kWh, MJ, L fuel, km, tonne-km	per shipment or dispatch period	dispatch period	holding room, loading area, route, or declared gate	normalize route-specific energy to dispatched kg live bee mass	carrier invoice, route record, fuel or energy record
cp_mortality_escape_and_reject_records	live_bee_stock_entry; colony_management_and_feeding	mortality, rejected bees, and swarm loss	dead bee, failed queen, rejected stock, swarm, escape, or non-marketable colony record	unit id; event date; unit type; estimated mass or count; cause where available; fate	apiary log, inspection record, disposal record, or count-to-mass estimate	kg live bee mass, head, colony, queen, or package	per event or reporting period	production cycle	apiary, breeder yard, holding room, or shipment	convert event records to mass, sum by fate, and normalize to live-bee output	apiary log, inspection record, disposal record
cp_dispatch_mortality_and_packaging_waste_records	live_bee_packing_and_dispatch	dispatch mortalities and returned packaging	shipment loss, returned package, cage, feed can, or waste record	shipment id; dead bee count or mass; returned material; waste mass; fate	receiving claim, return record, scale ticket, or waste contractor record	kg or item	per shipment or return	dispatch period	route, receiver, packing room, or waste route	sum dispatch mortality and package waste by fate	claim record, return log, disposal ticket

Calculation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Formula or rule	Inputs	Output	source_ids
normalize_live_bee_mass_output	reference product	kg transferred live bee mass / PCR reference amount	cp_live_bee_packing_dispatch_records	kg live bees per reference output	mass-balance-identity
convert_count_to_live_bee_mass	colony, package, queen, brood-frame, or bee-count records	convert count-based units to kg live bee mass using documented mass, unit conversion, or colony-strength basis	cp_live_bee_stock_entry_records; cp_live_bee_colony_management_records; cp_live_bee_packing_dispatch_records	kg live bee mass by unit type	fao-good-beekeeping-2019
normalize_supplemental_feed	supplemental feed	convert syrup, candy, dry sugar, pollen substitute, and protein feed to declared sugar, dry matter, or as-fed basis and allocate by colony, batch, or live-bee output	cp_feed_and_water_records	kg feed per reference output	fao-good-beekeeping-2019
calculate_apiary_energy_co2	apiary energy fossil CO2	fuel and electricity quantity multiplied by declared emission factors and normalized to live-bee output	cp_energy_and_movement_records	kg fossil CO2 per reference output
calculate_dispatch_energy_co2	dispatch energy fossil CO2	dispatch energy or fuel quantity multiplied by declared emission factor and normalized to dispatched live-bee mass	cp_dispatch_energy_and_transport_records	kg fossil CO2 per reference output
allocate_colony_coproducts	co-products	subdivide or allocate burdens when honey, wax, pollination service, queen breeding service, or other co-products are credited inside the foreground boundary	cp_live_bee_colony_management_records; co-product records	allocation factors or subdivision rule	fao-leap-guidelines

Data Quality Requirements

requirement_id	Applies to	Requirement	Evidence
dq_live_bee_identity	live bee identity	Species, unit type, life stage, caste mix, queen status, colony strength or bee-count basis, health status, geography, and declared gate must be stated for the reference flow and major live-bee lots.	inspection record, breeder certificate, health certificate, dispatch record
dq_mass_conversion	count and colony records	Count, colony, package, queen, and frame records must include measured mass or a documented conversion to kg live bee mass.	scale record, unit conversion note, colony-strength record
dq_feed_basis	supplemental feed	Feed records must preserve feed type, concentration, dry matter or sugar basis, treated colony count, and time period.	invoice, feed log, syrup mixing sheet
dq_health_status	disease and pest status	Health, pest monitoring, treatment, inspection, certification, and rejection status must be documented when live bees are transferred.	treatment log, inspection result, laboratory result, health certificate
dq_temporal_coverage	production cycle	Foreground records should cover the declared colony, package, queen, or dispatch production cycle; annualized apiary records must disclose allocation method.	apiary log, stock entry record, dispatch record
dq_completeness	material flows	Live-bee stock, feed, water where used, treatments, short-life hive or packaging materials, energy and movement, mortality, rejects, and dispatch waste must be addressed or explicitly excluded with rationale.	collection protocol checklist and data quality review

9. Validation Rules

Before publishing a foreground data package using this PCR, check:

• reference flow is expressed as kg live bees and includes species, unit type, queen status, colony strength or bee-count basis, health status, geography, and declared gate
• live-bee product is not confused with honey, wax, pollination service, beekeeping service, or equipment
• starting-condition treatment for parent colonies, purchased queens, packages, nucleus colonies, brood frames, and same-category live-bee inputs is declared
• count-to-mass conversion and colony-strength basis are documented
• supplemental feed, water where used, treatments, hive consumables, packaging, energy, and movement or dispatch transport are addressed
• disease, pest, treatment, inspection, certification, rejected stock, mortality, and swarm or escape losses have declared records and fates
• co-product handling is declared when honey, wax, pollination service, queen breeding service, or other outputs are credited
• values outside provisional screening ranges include source notes, corrected data, or method rationale

10. Published Dataset Profile

Field	Value
dataset_role	unit_process
downstream_use	secondary_dataset; background_dataset
allowed_use	downstream live-bee supply chain, apiary input, queen or package production, colony replacement, pollination-service model input, or managed-bee inventory modelling where live-bee qualifiers, geography, production route, and declared gate match the dataset metadata
excluded_use	honey, wax, propolis, royal jelly, venom, pollination service, beekeeping service, equipment manufacture, and downstream crop pollination unless separately modelled
required_metadata	reference flow; geography; production cycle; species; unit type; life stage; caste mix; queen status; colony strength or bee-count basis; live-bee mass conversion; health status; treatment status; declared gate; transport inclusion; collection protocol coverage; DQR
required_quality_disclosure	record coverage, allocation choices, starting-condition treatment, count-to-mass conversion, calculation rules, measurement devices or primary records, unresolved omissions, and data quality scores
update_trigger	material change in species, unit type, production route, geography, feed basis, treatment regime, disease or certification status, packaging route, declared gate, transport inclusion, collection protocol coverage, or data quality score

11. Data Sources

Source id	Type	Reference	Used for
fao-good-beekeeping-2019	official_guidance	https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/ca4271en	good beekeeping practice, bee health, management records, disease control, and production boundary context
woah-bee-diseases	official_guidance	https://www.woah.org/en/disease/diseases-of-bees/	listed bee diseases, health status, inspection, and certification context
woah-varroosis-code	official_guidance	https://www.woah.org/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahc/2024/en_chapitre_varroa_spp.htm	live bee, queen, larva, pupa, and brood-comb health recommendations for varroosis context
oregon-honeybee-colony-evaluation	extension_guidance	https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pnw-623-evaluating-honey-bee-colonies-pollination	colony-strength and managed honey bee colony evaluation context
fao-leap-guidelines	official_guidance	https://www.fao.org/partnerships/leap/resources/publications/fao-leap-guidelines/en	livestock and animal supply-chain LCA boundary, data quality, and allocation context
mass-balance-identity	method_factor	Conservation of mass applied as a PCR calculation identity for live-bee output, stock reconciliation, and process reference outputs.	QA guardrails for reference outputs and live-bee mass-balance checks