It’s early May and varroa outbreaks are being reported in various areas in Victoria. Given the level of infestation it is likely that more hives than those reported have varroa. If that’s the case then it’s best to think that your hive has varroa UNLESS you have tested and have not found varroa in your
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Feeding bees this year is something a number of beekeepers are having to resort to as a result of the very dry weather and poor flowering across ES Australia. Many beekeepers have been feeding syrup to their bees over summer just to keep them going and in autumn to survive winter and spring. Pollen substitutes
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I’m introducing glass jars for my honey rather than using plastic containers. While glass is more expensive than plastic, they can be reused after washing and sterilizing. Which is better for the environment. I’ll be keeping my price for honey at $17/kg and asking people to bring the jars back so I can reuse them.
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White eyed drones are the result of a genetic mutation and not very common. They usually don’t live for long.
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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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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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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A lot has been written about the health benefits of honey for humans, so its good to see a study that focus on the its benefits for bees. Worth a read.
I recommend to all beekeepers, no matter how big or small your operation is, to do the online Honey Bee Biosecurity course. Currently its free in Australia for all beekeepers and required by those with more than 50 hives. This is the second time I’ve completed the course as you should renew ever 3 years.
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