White eyed drone
White eyed drones are the result of a genetic mutation and not very common. They usually don’t live for long.
Honey extraction hints & autumn tasks
2023 04Download
Hive cutout
I was called out to remove a hive that had grown in about a month on a fruit tree. What great sight it was. There had been a number of cool and wet days recently but that did not seem to deter the bees from building a wonderful structure in the open. I prepared some
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Varroa in NSW
I’m off again to help in the effort to control the outbreak of Varroa in NSW. Volunteer beekeepers from across the country and support staff are all working hard on this job. Lets hope that Australia is the first country to eliminate this nasty mite from its shores. Being involved is important and interesting work
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Varroa in Australia
We all knew it was going to come sooner or later despite the prevention and detection strategies in place. And now it’s here. With the efforts in place, there is reasonable chance that the outbreak may be eliminated. The best sites to go to for up to date information are below. Avoid those that are
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In the news
I was lucky enough to be interviewed on beekeeping in urban settings by the Guardian Australian and then by ABC Melbourne. A key message I tried to get across was for those interested in keeping bees to do their homework, join a club and do a beekeeping course. Beekeeping takes commitment and you and your
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Pests and diseases
Here is a short PowerPoint document I presented to the Moonee Valley Beekeepers Club recently. I hope its of some help in recognising issues within your hives.
Autumn Actions
Autumn is here in Melbourne and its time to ensure that your hive is ready for winter and has enough supplies to last until spring. This year has been particularly poor for bees and many colonies have little honey supplies. There is only about four weeks before the season ends and its too cool for
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Thinking about keeping bees?
To be a good beekeeper requires knowledge of the science behind beekeeping and bees and having a set of beekeeping skills and practices. You need to be prepared to invest time and resources in developing your expertise to become a good and responsible beekeeper. Beekeeping is not for everyone. I meet many people who begin
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European Wasps
This is the time of year that European wasp nests are growing in size and preparing their queens for winter. They are a nasty environmental pest and have their nests in ground, in ferns and trees and in walls and roofs. If you find that you have a nest of wasps on your property, get
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