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Common beekeeping mistakes

New beekeepers face a steep learning curve. Beekeeping is part science, part art, and it can take some time to get your head around the process.

Learn, How-To, Getting Started, Beekeeping 101

Ecrotek | Essential Spring Jobs for Kiwi Beekeepers

Spring is here – and a checklist of essential spring jobs Kiwi beekeepers need to do to keep their hives healthy – from Ecrotek

Learn, How-To, Getting Started, Beekeeping 101

Ecrotek | Essential Spring Prep for Kiwi Beekeepers

Gearing up for spring? Here’s how to get your hives ready, essential spring prep for Kiwi beekeepers – from Ecrotek.

Learn, Getting Started, Beekeeping 101

Ecrotek | How To Set Up and Fill Your First Beehive

Learn how to set up your first beehive, fill it with bees and manage your first week of beekeeping – from Ecrotek.

Learn, How-To, Getting Started, Beekeeping 101

Establishing Your Beekeeping Club – Where to Start

Can’t find a local beekeeping club to join? Here’s Ecrotek’s guide on where to start setting up your own.

How-To, Getting Started, Beekeeping 101

Extraction made easy

Spring signals the beginning of honey-making season for your bees. Towards the end of summer, your hives will be heaving with honey, and it will be time for your job – extraction. Extraction is a fairly simple process, but if you haven’t done it before, it can seem complicated. If you want to sell your honey, or export it, it gets trickier, so it’s good to work out what you need to do before you start. Here’s what you need to know:

Learn, How-To, Getting Started, Beekeeping 101

Harvesting Propolis

Bees – they’re clever little things. As well as buzzing around making delicious honey, they’re also hard at work making a compound called propolis. Propolis is used as a sealant in their hives, as well as an embalming agent to cover surfaces. Propolis is also the bees’ disinfectant – one of nature’s most powerful antimicrobials, it cleans and sterilises the inside of the hive.

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Honey bee anatomy

We all know bees are insects with six legs and wings, but many of us only have a fuzzy idea of bee anatomy beyond that. Knowing how your bees’ bodies help them perform their tasks in the hive helps you know what to look for when you observe them. Here’s our basic guide to bee anatomy.

Learn, How-To, Getting Started

How to get kids involved in beekeeping

Kids and beekeeping may not seem like natural partners. After all, beekeeping involves being patient, methodical and calm...