Rod Bourke

published - 19 August 2019

Rod Bourke hails from a commercial beekeeping family with 4000 hives in Tasmania. In addition to working for many years in the family business, Rod has also been a prawn, coral, giant clam and seahorse farmer.

Rod is currently the Bee Biosecurity Officer for NSW, promoting awareness of the National Bee Biosecurity Code of Practice and the Biosecurity Act to beekeepers. He interacts with biosecurity, research, education and enforcement personnel in NSW, bee biosecurity officers and other states and Plant Health Australia.

See Posts by Rod Bourke

published - 10 November 2021
By Rod Bourke, NSW DPI

Australian beekeepers need to regularly check for exotic mites

Australian honey industry at risk from exotic mites
The majority of Australian beekeepers are completely unskilled and unprepared should mites arrive to our shores and start …
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alcohol wash, biosecurity, hive inspections, sugar shake, Tropilaelaps, varroa

Biosecurity, Code of Practice, Managing your hives, Pests and diseases, Policy and compliance

published - 24 November 2022
By Rod Bourke, NSW Department of Primary Industries

Managing hives to minimise damage from small hive beetles

This past season has seen a large increase in the numbers of small hive beetle (SHB) observed within beehives. Unfortunately, SHB is here to stay …
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American foulbrood, pests and disease, small hive beetles, swarming

Biosecurity, Managing your hives, Pests and diseases

published - 21 April 2023
By Rod Bourke, NSW DPI Bee Biosecurity Officer

What to do if a slime-out occurs

Small hive beetle (SHB) is a pest that causes issues in many parts of Australia. In some cases, SHB can contaminate honey with Kodamaea yeast, …
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American foulbrood, biosecurity, managing your hives, slime out, small hive beetle

Biosecurity, Managing your hives, Pests and diseases

August 19th, 2019 at 06:47pm