The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC) and Cotton Australia are calling on all farmers and beekeepers to use online tools to better communicate with each other to protect bees and crops. Cotton Australia CEO, Adam Kay, says the BeeConnected app facilitates communication between farmers and beekeepers as a tool to ensure crop protection is […] Read more
Currently Australia has a high concentration of feral honey bee colonies – that is unmanaged hives in the wild—and these helpful insects pollinate many crops. But as overseas experience has shown, if there should be an incursion of the honey bee parasite Varroa destructor in Australia, this invader would kill off unmanaged hives, with the […] Read more
Another Asian honey bee nest has been found in the Hyde Park area of Townsville, but there were no varroa mites on the bees or in the nest. Biosecurity Queensland Varroa Mite Response Coordinator Dr Ashley Bunce said this latest nest was located in the eaves of a house that backed on to the property […] Read more
A wine barrel used as a table on a Hyde Park family’s verandah has been revealed as the latest home for Asian honey bees in Townsville. Biosecurity Queensland officers working on the Varroa mite eradication response were alerted by the home owner last week, after she noticed bees entering a small hole at the side […] Read more
A small army of bee hunters has taken to the streets of Townsville searching for any signs of Asian honey bees, the hosts of the parasitic varroa mite. Varroa Mite Response director Ashley Bunce said Biosecurity Queensland was leading the eradication effort with support from industry following the discovery of varroa mites in a nest […] Read more
Laboratory examinations of an Asian honey bee hive found at Annandale this week have confirmed the presence of varroa mites. Biosecurity Queensland’s Dr Ashley Bunce, Director, Varroa Mite Response, said initial examinations found no mites on the bees, but a single mite had today been identified within the comb taken from the hive. “The hive […] Read more
In an effort to ensure Australians can enjoy local fruit, nuts and vegetables for years to come, Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation) has launched a significant pollination research investment fund. This likely multi-million dollar fund will invest in vital research to increase crop quality and yields through more effective pollination and alternate pollinators. Increasing the […] Read more
Alan Wade was the first President of the Beekeeper’s Association of the ACT. He helped establish the club about 40 years ago, but the number of members has grown enormously in the last few years, because it’s become fashionable to keep bees. Alan says that honey bee biosecurity is all about bee condition. “You need […] Read more
A smart phone application to help beekeepers identify pests in their hives is part of a suite of digital tools being developed to improve the biosecurity capability of the industry. The project will also see a review and re-design of the BeeAware website, an online biosecurity training course, and an annual survey of beekeepers conducted […] Read more
Preliminary results from a massive five-year research project show that some types of Australian honey promise to be every bit as good as New Zealand’s manuka honey, when it comes to fighting bacteria. Scientists involved in the study are calling on beekeepers from every corner of the country to continue providing honey samples from bees […] Read more
Beekeepers in NSW now have an advisor on hand to help them keep their hives free from pests and diseases. Hayley Pragert has started work in the new role of Bee Biosecurity Officer as part of a joint industry–government initiative to look after Australia’s honey bees. Alison Saunders, Horticultural Cropping Manager at Plant Health Australia […] Read more
Healthier hives and better beekeepers will be the end result of the appointment of new extension staff across the country, tasked with improving the management of existing bee pests and diseases, and boosting surveillance for exotic pests such as Varroa mite. The Bee Biosecurity Officers will be funded by around $400,000 of industry funds through […] Read more
Australia’s first national survey of honey bee viruses has found we have one of the healthiest honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations in the world – a key step in re-establishing and maintaining export markets for breeding stock. The last survey was conducted almost 30 years ago and only in eastern Australia, and the significant gaps […] Read more
With hundreds of beekeepers starting out in the industry each year, training is vital to ensure they learn and follow best practice when it comes to the basic skills. A series of new videos is now available online and will be provided to Registered Training Organisations offering relevant courses, with all of Australia’s estimated 12,400 […] Read more
Restricting the movement of hives would be the best way to stop the spread of an exotic pest of honey bees – but could have a significant impact on the production of fruits, vegetables and nuts if it happened during pollination season. This is one of the main findings from a simulation exercise carried out […] Read more
There are big benefits to be had from honey bee pollination, according to Plant Health Australia (PHA), and the best way to find out how is to check the crop-specific information on the BeeAware website and keep up-to-date by signing up for the monthly e-newsletter. BeeAware is a hub of information for growers and beekeepers […] Read more
Over recent years the number of beekeepers in Australia has increased markedly in both urban and regional areas. They now have access to a wealth of information about keeping bees and honey bee biosecurity with the release of the book the Australian Beekeeping Guide. This book was previously published under the title Beekeeping in 1991. […] Read more
Sneaking into Australia through northern ports just got harder for exotic bees and pests, with the installation of a network of 20 hives monitored by mobile phone cameras and sensors. The hives have been deployed as part of a national trial by the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program (NBPSP) in Brisbane, Gladstone, Weipa and Darwin […] Read more
Australian farmers and beekeepers now have access to a world-first smart-phone application to help ensure the safety of bees during normal farming practices. CropLife Australia today launched BeeConnected, a first of its kind geomap based, user-driven communication and coordination tool to help protect Australia’s honey bee population. Chief Executive Officer of CropLife Australia, Matthew Cossey, […] Read more
According to Lindsay Bourke, finalist in the 2014 Plant Biosecurity Farmer of the Year Award, a biosecurity plan is an investment in the future of a business and the community. The beekeeper manages 3,600 hives for honey production and the pollination of over 80 crops. The main product of his company Australian Honey Products is […] Read more
