Australian Beekeeping Guide - AgriFutures Australia

1 Australian Beekeeping Guide 2014 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights 978-1-74254-715-2 ISSN 1440-6845 Australian Beekeeping Guide Publication No. 14/098 Project No. PRJ-007664 The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable regions. You must not rely on any information contained in this publication without taking specialist advice relevant to your particular circumstances. While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this publication to ensure that information is true and correct, the Commonwealth of Australia gives no assurance as to the accuracy of any information in this Commonwealth of Australia , the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)

2 , the authors or contributors expressly disclaim, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any act or omission, or for any consequences of any such act or omission, made in reliance on the contents of this publication, whether or not caused by any negligence on the part of the Commonwealth of Australia , RIRDC, the authors or Commonwealth of Australia does not necessarily endorse the views in this publication is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. However, wide dissemination is encouraged. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to RIRDC Communications on phone 02 6271 Manager and Lead Author Russell Goodman Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (Victoria).

3 Private Bag 15 Ferntree Gully Delivery Centre VIC 3156 Phone: 03 9210 9324 Fax: 03 9210 3521 Email: advice provided in this publication is intended as a source of information only. Always read the label before using any of the products Contact Details Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 2, 15 National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 Kingston ACT 2604 Phone: 02 6271 4100 Fax: 02 6271 4199 Email: Web: published by RIRDC in January 2015 Print-on-demand by Union Offset Printing, Canberra at or phone 1300 634 313 ContentsForeword vPreface vi1.

4 Introduction to the honey bee 1 Members of the honey bee colony 2 Caste differentiation 4 Life-cycle of bee 4 Workers 5 Worker bee anatomy 6 Pheromones 8 Seasonal size of colonies 82. The hive and its components 9 The hive 9 Boxes 9 Bottom boards 10 Hive covers 11 Hive mat 11 Protecting hive components 12 Branding hive components 12 Entrance closures 12 Frames 12 Wiring frames 14 Comb foundation 15 Embedding wire 15 Plastic frames and foundation 16 Queen excluder 16 Hive fastener 173.

5 Handling bees and Beekeeping safety 18 Bee stings 18 Personal protective equipment 18 Equipment 20 The smoker and safe operation 20 How to handle frames and combs 22 Examining the hive 23 Ideal conditions for examining the hive 24 Safety and Beekeeping operations 254. How to get bees and increase numbers of colonies 26 Established bee colonies 26 Nucleus colonies 26 Package bees 27 Catching honey bee swarms 27 Increasing the number of colonies 29 Secondhand hive components and empty hives 30ii Australian Beekeeping Guide5. Apiary sites and flora 31 Winter site 31 Summer site 32 Private land sites 32 Public land apiary sites 32 Nectar and pollen flora 33 Nectar fermentation 34 Pests that affect flora 34 Hive stocking rates 35 Drifting bees and placement of hives 35 Fire Precautions 35 Identification of apiaries 366.

6 Spring management 37 Stores and feeding bees 37 Queens 39 Drone layer queen 40 Laying workers 40 Robber bees 40 Comb replacement 41 Adding a super to a single box hive 41 Swarming 41 Signs of swarming 42 Causes of swarming 42 Reducing the impulse to swarm 43 Division of colonies or artificial swarming 44 Uniting colonies and splits 457. Summer operations 47 Preparing hives for transport 47 Transport of hives 47 Moving bees with open entrances 48 Loading bees 49 Moving bees short distances 50 Water for bees 50 Bees hanging out 52 Preparing bees for extreme heat 53 Adding a super for honey production 54 Harvesting honey 54 Removal of bees from honey combs 55 Comb Honey 568.

7 Extracting honey 57 Uncapping the comb 57 Honey extractors 59 Processing the honey crop 61 Containers for honey 61 Legal obligations when selling honey 62 Separating cappings and honey 62 Further notes for sideline beekeepers 63 Australian Beekeeping Guide iii9. Winter management 66 Locality 66 Stores 66 Pollen 67 Winter cluster and space adjustment 67 Hive mats, entrances and moisture 68 Other winter tasks 6910.

8 Honey 70 How bees make honey 70 Composition of honey 71 Viscosity of honey 71 Granulation of honey 71 Creamed honey 71 Effect of heat on honey 71 Filtration 71 Packaging 72 Honey standard 7211. Beeswax 73 Properties of beeswax 73 Sources of beeswax 73 Wax moth and small hive beetle 74 Refining wax other than brood combs 74 Solar beeswax melter 75 Uses of beeswax 7512. Requeening colonies and rearing queen bees 76 Requeening colonies 76 Finding a queen 77 Introducing queens in mailing cages 78 Introducing a queen by uniting colonies 79 Queen rearing 79 Raising queens 8013.

9 Brood diseases of bees 82 American foulbrood (AFB) 82 European foulbrood disease (EFB) 88 Sacbrood 90 Chalkbrood 91 Stonebrood 9214. Diseases of adult bees 94 Nosema disease 94 Other adult bee diseases 96 Diagnosis of adult bee disease 9715. Pests and enemies of bees 98 Wax moth 98 Damage caused by wax moths 99 Control of wax moth 100 Small hive beetle 100 Ants 103iv Australian Beekeeping GuideOther insects and hive visitors 104 Birds 104 Mice 105 European Wasp 10516.

10 Parasites of honey bees 107 Varroa mite 107 Braula fly 110 Honey bee tracheal mite 110 Tropilaelaps mite 111 Mellitiphis mite 111 Comparative diagnosis 11217. Quick problem solving table 11318. Honey bee pollination 118 Colony stocking rates 119 Preparation of colonies for pollination 120 Pollination contracts 12119. Legal 124 Registration as a beekeeper 124 Branding hives 124 Disposal of hives 124 Moveable frame hives 124 Notification of bee diseases and pests 125 Exposure of bees to infected hives and equipment 125 Access of bees to honey 125 Interstate movement of bees and used equipment 125 Chemical use and records 125 Codes of practice 126 Packing and selling honey 126 Honey levy 126 Water for bees 126 Smokers and fire 126 Horticultural areas and local laws 12620. Additional information 127 Beekeeper associations and clubs 127 Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC) 127 State and Territory Departments of Primary Industries (or agriculture)