How to prevent invasion and treat infestation Bees make so many useful and delicious products – honey, wax, propolis, royal jelly – it makes sense that humans aren’t the only species that want to access them. But unlike humans, who...
Protecting your bees from diseases and pests As a beekeeper, caring for your hive is the best prevention against nasty pests or diseases. But, it’s still good to know what to look out for and what you should do. We’ve...
Protect bees, prevent stings – how to keep wasps out of your garden Whether you’re a gardener, a beekeeper, or just love the outdoors, wasps in the garden are less than ideal. Painful stings are the most obvious downside, but...
How to identify and help native Aussie bees When you think of a bee, you probably picture a classic, yellow-and-black striped honey bee, or its furry cousin the bumblebee. You’re probably not imagining metallic green, shiny red, or blue-polka-dotted insects....
Winter Beekeeping: Taking care of beehives in winter Keeping your bees cosy in cold weather Winter is a natural rest time for bees. After building up their honey stores through spring and summer, they’re ready to hole up in the...
When is the best time to start beekeeping? Starting your first hive. You’ve done the reading, visited experienced beekeepers, joined your local bee club and even bought hive equipment and a bee suit. You’re almost ready to start your first...
Preparing your hives for spring Spring is almost here. Here's how to get your bees up to speed. Believe it or not, spring is on its way. It may feel cold and miserable where you are, but before you know...
What new beekeepers get wrong And how to get it right There’s a lot to learn when you’re a brand-new beekeeper. You have to get your head around hive positioning, inspections, feeding and harvesting, not to mention managing pests and...
Beekeeping in a hot climate Taking care of your bees in warmer weather As every Australian knows we live in an intensely hot, dry place – and climate change isn’t helping. Last summer was a record-breaker, with heatwaves and temperatures...
Bee-friendly pesticides are one step closer to reality after breakthrough research A new study has found that insecticides could soon be developed that can target pests without harming beneficial insects such as bees and bumble bees. Pesticide use is a...
Bee-friendly blooms The best flowers to attract bees to your garden These days, everyone seems to love a low-maintenance garden full of succulents, cycads, and palm trees. Everyone except bees, that is. Both introduced honey bees and Australian native bees...
How To Feed Bees? Now that you learned why, when and what to feed honey bees, the next question we’re going to answer is “how do you feed honey bees?” There are many options for feeding honey bees. Here are...
About Small Hive Beetle (SHB) Although the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) is only 5 mm long, it is one of the most feared bee parasites because with a heavy infestation, it can destroy an entire colony within a very...
About Nosemosis (Nosema) Nosemosis (also called nosema) is caused by a single-celled fungus parasitic disease in honey bees. It is the most common animal disease in adult bees and highly contagious. The cause of the disease, Nosema apis and Nosema...
About AFB American foulbrood disease (AFB) is a disease of honey bee larvae and pupae caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. It is the most serious honey bee disease in New Zealand and has a major impact on bee populations....
