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Save the Bees
Simon Mulvany from Save the Bees
Remarkable Rata Honey
Bees Small Business for a Big Future
The Lucky Bees of Notre Dame
Buy or Rent: Bees for Almond Production
Why Almonds Need Bees to Survive
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Ben's Bees

19 hours ago

The Beekeepers’ Information Sharing Day (Renmark, South Australia)

Exciting news! Following on from a hugely successful get together of bee professionals near Adelaide in 2018, this year’s event is set to be a real ripper! With guest speakers coming from all over Australia and even the USA, the Beekeepers’ Information Sharing Day is set to bring a host of new voices, technologies, and ideas to Renmark, including myself! I am thrilled to be presenting my knowledge at this very special international event, and attendance is open to all bee-lovers, whether you have just one hive or one thousand!

The theme of this year’s event is almond pollination, a very important topic in apiary world-wide. Organised by the excellent Simeon Valkenburg—a commercial beekeeper from South Australia—the event is community-friendly and open to professionals, enthusiasts, and those completely new to bees and beekeeping. I can’t wait! Speakers will be presenting from across Australia and even the USA, including Ellie Symes (USA) who will introduce some amazing new technology (VeriFli), and David Richards (WA) who will present the incredible benefits of FeedBee, a Canadian protein supplement for bees. The nature of the event is very relaxed and open—we will be out enjoying nature in the field during the day before heading to the pub later on for more presentations in the afternoon and evening.

As I mentioned, the theme of this year’s get-together is almond pollination. So why are bees so important for Australian (and global) almond growth? Almonds are 100% reliant on bees for their cross-pollination process. While almost all of the almond flowers on a tree can grow into nutlets (the first stage of the nut’s development), none can fully develop if the bees don’t pay a visit. And it’s a mutual love affair: just as almond trees need cross-pollination and bees move pollen from tree to tree, almond crops are highly nutritious for bee species, making them strong and healthy.

And while USA (California in particular) dominates the almond industry, Australia’s small yet thriving local industry is based predominantly in South Australia, north-western Victoria and southern New South Wales. In these areas, there are several almond varieties grown and exported, the most popular being Nonpareil, Carmel and Price. According to the Australian Almond Board, the current almond crop expansion will increase the country's productive capacity to 150,000 tonnes, with associated exports of 120,000 tonnes bringing in approximately $1 billion of revenue!

Almonds, therefore, are good for our pockets, our tummies, and our best friends, the bees! There is no better way to learn about these processes, and other areas of beekeeping, than to head along to the Beekeepers’ Information Sharing Day on Sunday August 18th in Renmark, 250 km north-east of Adelaide. It’s free, but important that you RSVP, so stay tuned for more details to come! ... See MoreSee Less

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Ben's Bees

3 days ago

Classifying Honey.

In Australia, you may have noticed honey labelled with the name of native trees, such as Yellow Box or Blue Gum. Honey is commonly classified by the source of the nectar from which it has been derived. Pollen is sometimes accidentally introduced into the honey, and may be used to determine the floral source.

Most commercially produced honey is blended, meaning that it is a mixture of honeys from different sources and areas, and therefore colour, flavour and texture will vary accordingly. Polyfloral honey, also known as wildflower honey, is similar in that it is also produced from a variety of floral sources, but is generally from a particular locality and may be harvested from a single hive. If this is the case, taste and other characteristics may vary seasonally and from year to year, depending on the species of flowers that are prevalent.

Monofloral honey originates predominantly from the nectar of a single plant species, which should constitute at least 75% of the nectar collected by the bees. Monofloral honey commands a premium price and is highly sought after due to its distinctive taste. While it is impossible to guarantee that any honey is produced entirely from a single source, monofloral honey that is almost pure may result from the prodigious nectar production of a particular species, or because the bees can only access one type of flower (it may be that there is little other vegetation in the area, or little else in bloom). Beekeepers may plan their harvest to take advantage of specific floral blooms and may periodically relocate their bees for this purpose. Honey that has been produced earlier may be removed from the hives immediately prior to the bloom, to ensure the harvest is as pure as possible.

Monofloral honeys are popular around the world, and the endemic Australian native flora has yielded some highly regarded and distinctive varieties. Monofloral eucalyptus honeys include Yellow Box, Grey Box, Blue Gum, Jarrah, River Red Gum, Ironbark, Stringybark and Messmate. Eucalyptus honey varies considerably in colour and taste, but generally has a bold, clean and smooth flavour, with mild sweetness and a characteristic aroma. It is slow to granulate, making it perfect for domestic use. Blue Gum honey, for example, is produced mainly in South Australia and Tasmania. It is amber in colour, with a dense texture, and has subtle, cool, minty overtones. It is delicious on toast or drizzled over ice cream. Manuka honey is produced in Australia and New Zealand from the Manuka bush or related Australian melaleuca species, and has anti-bacterial properties. Other notable Australian monofloral honeys include Tasmanian Leatherwood (which is considered a delicacy) and Macadamia.

Honeydew honey is produced in a number of regions, including parts of Europe and the United States. Instead of nectar, the bees collect honeydew, the sugary secretion of aphids or other sap-sucking insects. Honeydew honey is very dark, with reduced sweetness, and a strong fragrance and flavour. Pine honey, a form of honeydew honey, constitutes more than 60% of the Greece’s honey production.

Every region has its own different and characteristic honeys. Honey also stores extremely well, and unique regional honey therefore makes a great gift. In Melbourne and across Australia, delicious monofloral and polyfloral honeys, reflecting our wonderful native flora, are best sourced from professional local apiarists, or beekeepers. ... See MoreSee Less

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Bee Hives For Sale
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