SaveOurBeesAustralia

Moving a nuc into a hive. Yesterday I Spent some time preparing a 5 frame nuc into an 8 frame box. This was from a split i did about 6 weeks ago. The bees have outgrown the nuc quite rapidly and will be passed onto another beekeeper tonight. This short time lapse was taken at the final stage tipping the remaining bees from the partitioned nuc onto a board at the front of the new hive you can see the bees march straight into their new home with very little need for extra encouragement. . . . #honey #bee #nature #saveourbees #savethebees #flowers #honeybee #beekeeping #beekeeper #honeybees #insect #flower #love #beehive #pollinators #garden #bugs #animals #apiary #pollen #art #hive #spring #beautiful #harvest #madeinaustralia #sydney (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqEeQ6vBEkj/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5oyxardatt0

Artificial Swarm Demo. Yesterday at our monthly field day @sydneyillawarrabeekeepers we were busy. Firstly we shared a few things about swarms and members experiences. We then had a special QnA session by Stu Anderson @flowhive (more to come on that soon). We then featured the much anticipated artificial swarm demo by one of our more experienced beekeepers Ian Phillips. Ian explained in detail about some of the characteristics of a swarm. Attached a queen cage, including the queen to a tree trunk. Then continued to demonstrate how to collect that swarm from the tree. The bees were eventually brushed into a 5 frame nuc and later rehoused in a 10 frame beehive. Thanks to Ian and the many members and visitors that attended.  . . . . #beeclub #spring #saveourbees #sydneyhoney #honey #australia #honeybees #savethebees #raw #rawhoney #love #backyard #beekeeping #apiary #thanks #swarm #beeswarm #pollination #pollinators #beekeepersgram #split #beekeeper #timelapse #60seconds #flow #flowhive (at Sydney Illawarra Beekeepers (Assoc)) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpgKtcMnS3x/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1rxia4y899dn4

Renovation needed. Today I made a new friend his name is Sam. Sam loves his bees and looked after them.for 35 years. But after a serious illness a few years ago sadly Sam can't look after his bees anymore. His family is unexperienced as beekeepers. So I was asked to help with Sam's hive. The bees havent been touched for a few years but they are doing remarkably well. No signs of AFB or other disease. But they were honey bound as you can see. The honeycomb completely filled the migratory lid and it's a popular place for all the hive beetles to hide. We pulled 7 frames of beautiful honeycomb and maybe another 5 kilos of honeycomb from the lid and above the top bars. The bees will do well and will need another inspection with some new frames added. This is another example of how these remarkable creatures bring people into your life as strangers and leave as friends. Thanks to Sam, Mohammed and all his family for the experience. The video is condensed from about 2 hours.  #beefacts  #anatomy #thetasteofsydney #earlwood #spring #saveourbees #sydneyhoney #honey #australia #honeybees #savethebees #raw #rawhoney  #love  #backyard #beekeeping #apiary #thanks #swarm #beeswarm #pollination #pollinators #beekeepersgram #split #beekeeper #timelapse #beefriends #renovation (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpbpw3mnVrl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ggvkwhwjrml1

Harvest time. A little bit of honey is starting to happen in the hives. Despite this crazy Sydney weather, the bees are working. They never seem to rest and never fail to surprise a humble beekeeper. . . . . #honey #bee #nature #saveourbees #savethebees #flowers #honeybee #beekeeping #beekeeper #honeybees #insect #flower #love #beehive #pollinators #garden #bugs #animals #apiary #pollen #art #hive   #spring #beautiful #harvest #madeinaustralia #sydney  (at Earlwood, New South Wales, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpGsX3rnrnP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u3qswr3b5n6f

Silverbeet weather. With all the rain in Sydney over the past few weeks the bees are not foraging as much as usual. But plenty of plants are enjoying the soaking rains. We can expect to see a lot of plants booming ready for the bees to pollinate when the weather breaks. Maybe it's just a coincidence but I've never grown silver best this big. Theyre at least double the size of what I usually see. No chemicals, no tricks just plenty of rain and chock poo pellets. . . #organicgardening #rain #thetasteofsydney #earlwood #spring #saveourbees #sydneyhoney #honey #australia #honeybees #savethebees #raw #rawhoney  #love  #backyard #beekeeping #apiary #thanks #swarm #beeswarm #pollination #silverbeet #spinach (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo8WZRbnOUx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=n13r05vquxrb

Splitting a live in 30 seconds. Well actually it took about 33 minutes but I sped it up here. Its interesting to see how the bees move as you're working. This hive is probably the most productive one I have and they tend to be very defensive. I split with about 4 Queen cells and had to cut out a few others. I'll see how this one takes in a week or two. . . . . . #beefacts #anatomy #thetasteofsydney #earlwood #spring #saveourbees #sydneyhoney #honey #australia #honeybees #savethebees #raw #rawhoney #love #backyard #beekeeping #apiary #thanks #swarm #beeswarm #pollination #pollinators #beekeepersgram #split #beekeeper #timelapse #30seconds (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo3Z3TgnAM_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bcf34w3ms4bu

Another day another Swarm. These girls were swarmed in a peach tree and possibly the very same Peachtree these bees have been pollinating so well. The Swarm so large with hardly fit into a nuc so I'll have to place them in an 8 frame box and relicate them soon for another local beekeeper. I will usually wait a few weeks before relocating the bees to make sure the queen is laying well and the brood is healthy. . . . . #honey #bee #nature #saveourbees #flowers #honeybee #beekeeping #beekeeper #honeybees #insect #flower #love #beehive #pollinators #garden #bugs #animals #organic #apiary #pollen #entomology #art #hive #spring #hymenoptera #beautiful #apidae #sydney #organic (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bom7lKpnUbr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1c5tjlxbhp01

Bees & Pollinators: School Holiday Program. With special thanks to the people @FlowHive and our many volunteers, our local bee club @sydneyillawarrabeekeepers will be running some interactive workshops during the October 2018 school holidays for primary school-aged children aged 8 to 12 years old. Visit illawarrabeekeepers.org.au/kids for more info & tix. #flowhive #honey #Pollinators #bee #nature #saveourbees #flowers #honeybee #beekeeping #beekeeper #honeybees #insect #flower #love #beehive #pollinators #garden #bugs #animals #organic #apiary #pollen #art #hive #macro #hymenoptera #summer #beautiful #kids #sydney   (at Sydney Illawarra Beekeepers (Assoc)) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoON2lYna4K/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1anz9iv3xi8f6

When the BeesGo Marching In. Swarms are often a fairly simple process to collect for a beekeeper. If they settle on a low hanging branch, it can be as simple as cutting the branch, then placing it in the box with the bees. Or even shaking them vigorously into a box or nuc. But when they are camped out on the lawn, it sometimes is a little more difficult. These bees did gather on a branch but the 2.5kg weight was a bit too much. And the branch was slumped over with some of the bees clinging on. I assumed, or at least hoped, the queen was still attached to the branch. So after a quick prune, I placed the branch in the box. The other bees, about 50%, were left on the grass. And although I didn't see the queen, I knew she was there. Because as you can see with this time-lapse video, the bees were marching towards the box to join the colony. . . . #beeswarms #bees #swarms #beefacts #nature #saveourbees #flowers #honeybee #beekeeping  #flower #love #beehive #pollinators #garden #bugs #animals #organic #apiary #pollen #therealqueenbee #hive # time-lapse  #spring #beautiful #sydney #marchingin (at Mascot, New South Wales) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnnetDUHCBm/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=14qm4rgkbbg4y

Another day another Swarm. We just collected this swarm this afternoon from a backyard a few kilometres away. The neighbour has a backyard with one bee hive so I suspect these bees have swarmed from just over the fence. very gentle easy to handle piece of cake. It's the first real warm day of spring today in Sydney after a lot of rain in the last few days. so no doubt it's triggered swarm season . .. #saveourbees #lilypilli #beeswarms #bees #swarms #beefacts #nature #savethebees #flowers #honeybee #beekeeping  #flower #love #beehive #pollinators #garden #bugs #animals #organic #apiary #pollen #entomology #art #hive #hymenoptera #spring #beautiful #sydney  (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnfz5gDn9qX/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=bauuy004v9xa

Another day another Swarm. We just collected this swarm this afternoon from a backyard a few kilometres away. The neighbour has a backyard with one bee hive so I suspect these bees have swarmed from just over the fence. very gentle easy to handle piece of cake. It's the first real warm day of spring today in Sydney after a lot of rain in the last few days. so no doubt it's triggered swarm season . .. #saveourbees #lilypilli #beeswarms #bees #swarms #beefacts #nature #savethebees #flowers #honeybee #beekeeping  #flower #love #beehive #pollinators #garden #bugs #animals #organic #apiary #pollen #entomology #art #hive #hymenoptera #spring #beautiful #sydney  (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnfzuE2n0la/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18c5md52o4nek

Bee Swarms and Everything YOU Need To Know. There are different types of bee swarms and many characteristics of a swarm. Over the past few years in particular, we have collected many bee swarms. And we have witnessed very different situations and often asked many things about this wonder of nature. So we decided to put together a list of the who, what, where, how and why bee swarms. Go to our blog (link in bio) to see answers to 50+ questions we are often asked. . . . . #beeswarms #bees #swarms #beefacts #nature #savethebees #flowers #honeybee #beekeeping  #flower #love #beehive #pollinators #garden #bugs #animals #organic #apiary #pollen #entomology #art #hive #macro #hymenoptera #spring #beautiful #apidae #sydney  (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnarqbQnJ8N/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1s0ppderfuav6

Let them go to seed. This worker bee collects loads of pollen from the Chinese vegetables going to flower and eventually seed. The bright yellow flowers attract so many bees they literally cover the blooms at times. So if you plant a few herbs and veggies in your garden, try to leave at least a few that will flower for the bees and pollinators around the yard.  #earlwood #sydneyspring #spring #yellow #saveourbees #sydneyhoney #honey #australia #honeybees #savethebees #raw #rawhoney #photooftheday #photoshop #macro #love #plantsforbees #LetThemGoToSeed (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnYE4WwH8bE/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=19gstox56baxm

HOPE. In 2015, President Obama announced a National strategy to promote honey bee health. That's what inspired me to design this poster (inspired by the famous Obama Hope poster) as a tribute to bees and the impact Obama had on their survival. Obama like many others recognised the important role pollinators such as the honey bee play in our world. As the pillars of modern agriculture, without the honeybee would not enjoy many of the fruits, vegetables, and crops we eat today. Bees are threatened the world over. But there is HOPE. And it's important you understand the ways we can all help bees. Go to our saveourbees.com.au/blog to learn more. And please help save our bees . . . . . . #obama #hope #savethebees #saveourbees #honey #bee #nature #flowers #honeybee #beekeeping #beekeeper #honeybees #insect #flower #love #beehive #pollinators #garden #photoshop #animals #organic #apiary #pollen #entomology #art #hive #macro #poster #apidae #sydney  (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnIobednCNR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=8kb55dg8j8yu

It's Swarming Season Again. Although we are a week or 2 out from the begining of spring, spring has arrived early in Sydney. And that's probably the same for other parts parts of Australia so that means the birds are singing, and the bees are swarming. When I get a call to collect a swarm, people often ask what is a bee swarm exactly and why do bees swarm? Bees swarming is a natural occurrence most often occurring in spring and in summer. Bee swarms are identified by a mass of bees clustered on a post or hanging from a tree or some other structure and looks like a live bunch of grapes. The bees may stay in this cluster for a few minutes up to a few days while they look for a new home. Swarming bees typically are not dangerous if they are left alone. Bee swarms are simply in transit looking for a new home and should only be handled by an experienced beekeeper or swarm collector. You may get stung if you attempt to spray them with a hose, smoke or insecticide. Remember the important role bees play in fertilizing many of our nuts, fruits and vegetables. One in every three bites we eat we owe to the work bees do to pollinate these plants' flowers. So if you see a bee swarm consider contacting a local beekeeper or bee club to have the swarm removed and placed in a beehive. This will help the bees continue their vital and very important role they play in our environment and lives.  . . . . #swarm #saveourbees #bee #closeup #nature#springbees #flowers #honeybee#beekeeping #beekeeper#insect #love #beehive #pollinators #bugs #apiary #pollen #entomology #art #hive#macro #hymenoptera #beautiful#apidae #sydney #beefacts #eye #insect#eyes (at Sydney, Australia)

Still in Bloom. These bright yellow Brocolli & Asian Vegetable Flowers are still going strong and the bees are all over them. The days in Sydney are warming up a little with 23 degrees celcius today even though it's still winter. The nights are still cold though. There have already been calls for swarms in Sydney so it won't be long before we get more colonies swarming all over Sydney. . . . . . . #saveourbees #pollen #pollenpants #bee #closeup #nature #winter #flowers #herbs #honeybee #beekeeping #beekeeper #asianvegetables #organicgardener #organic #insect #love #beehive #pollinators #bugs #apiary #bloom #spring (at Sydney, Australia)

Bee on Rosemary Flowers. The rosemary bushes are in full bloom again in winter and the bees are working it hard. Bees just love blue and purple flowers and often there are the colours that attract bees the most probably because bees see the blue cooler end of the colour spectrum more than the red or hot colours. Plant some rosemary in your garden and you'll see honey bees and native bees come in droves. . . . . . #saveourbees #bee #closeup #nature#winter #flowers #herbs #honeybee#beekeeping #beekeeper#insect #love #beehive #pollinators #bugs #apiary #pollen #entomology #art #hive#macro #beautiful #apidae #sydney #beefacts #eye #insect#eyes #rosemary  (at Earlwood, New South Wales, Australia)