Published - 27 June 2022 By Elizabeth Frost, NSW Department of Primary Industries Help eradicate Varroa mite NSW Department of Primary Industries’ early warning system has detected Varroa mites, which was confirmed as Varroa destructor species, in biosecurity surveillance hives at the Port of … Read More AHBIC, alcohol wash, biosecurity, drone uncapping, emergency response, hive registration, pests and disease, sticky mats, sugar shake, varroa destructor Biosecurity, Pests and diseases, Policy and compliance
Published - 15 June 2022 By Nadine Chapman, University of Sydney Plan Bee pollination webinar The economic value of honey bees in Australia was AU$8.35-19.97 billion in 2015 (Karasińki 2018). Much of this value comes from pollination of 53 agricultural … Read More pollination, survey, webinars Agrichemicals, Biosecurity, Managing your hives, Nutrition, Pests and diseases, Plan Bee, Pollination
Published - 8 June 2022 By Nadine Chapman, University of Sydney What is a breeding objective? Plan Bee is Australia’s honey bee genetic improvement program. Any bee breeder can participate. They have control over their breeding objectives. They can have a … Read More breeding, breeding objective, Plan bee, survey Breeding, Plan Bee
Published - 7 June 2022 By Nadine Chapman, University of Sydney What should you ask your bee breeder? Good queens are important to ensure productivity and ease of management. Our national honey bee genetic improvement program, Plan Bee, will lead to improvements in … Read More breeding, queen bees, queen introduction Breeding, Pests and diseases, Plan Bee, Registration
Published - 31 May 2022 By Erica Mo, University of Sydney A look into the sex-determining gene in Australian honey bees What is the complementary sex determiner and why does it matter? Sex in honey bees is determined by a gene named the complementary sex determiner (csd). … Read More breeding, genetics, queen bees, sex determination Breeding, Genetics, Plan Bee
Published - 19 May 2022 By Erica Mo, University of Sydney Can honey bee stock pollinate the world? Pollination is a key biological service that is especially important in maintaining global food supply as 75% of global crops require pollination via animals. Insects, … Read More conservation, pollination, wild honey bees, world bee day Pollination
Published - 9 May 2022 By Elizabeth Frost, NSW DPI La Niña and the honey bee In Australia’s extreme conditions, honey bee hives may require nutritional management when quality nectar and pollen aren’t readily available within a few kilometres of the … Read More autumn, disaster relief, La Niña, managing hives, nutrition, pollen, supplementary feeding, winter Managing your hives, Nutrition
Published - 15 April 2022 By Nadine Chapman, University of Sydney Honeyland Each year at the Sydney Royal Easter Show the industry is promoted through Honeyland. This is an opportunity to showcase the industry, with honey tastings … Read More bee associations, competition, honey, honey shows, honey tasting Honey
Published - 11 March 2022 By Nadine Chapman, University of Sydney To understand our bees we must understand our plants In Australia, through the Plan Bee program, we are embarking on a journey to implement estimated breeding values to assist in genetic selection. This process … Read More breeding, nutrition, plants Breeding, Managing your hives, Nutrition, Pests and diseases, Plan Bee, Pollination
Published - 18 February 2022 By Nadine Chapman, University of Sydney Uncapping: a defence against Varroa Varroa is an external mite that feeds on both brood and adult bees. When it feeds, it spreads viruses. The combined effects of predation and … Read More breeding, brood disease, Plan bee, uncapping, varroa Breeding, Pests and diseases
Published - 26 November 2021 By Nadine Chapman, University of Sydney Is my honey organic? Honey is a fantastic, delicious, natural product, but can we call it organic? There are scores of different honeys on the market, not just in … Read More honey, labels, organic Agrichemicals, Honey, Managing your hives
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 … Read More alcohol wash, biosecurity, hive inspections, sugar shake, Tropilaelaps, varroa Biosecurity, Code of Practice, Managing your hives, Pests and diseases, Policy and compliance