Articles

Learn, Getting Started

Not too sunny, not too windy, just right

For beginner beekeepers, beehive positioning may not seem that important. Many newbies simply pop their brand new hive in a flat spot, without considering how temperature, wind exposure, damp, and even direction might affect their bees.

Learn, Disease, Varroa, Health, Product

Bayvarol® Varroa Treatment in NZ: Findings from a Plant & Food Research Trial

A recent study by Plant & Food Research New Zealand has delivered some very encouraging results for beekeepers using Bayvarol® as part of their varroa control programme.

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.

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

Ecrotek | Our Favourite Honey Recipes

Make the most of your sweet harvest by using honey in baking, salads, dinners and drinks – our favourite honey recipes from Ecrotek

Learn, Getting Started

Preparation, placement, patience – safe beekeeping practices

Beekeeping involves working with a large number of unpredictable living things. So of course, there are risks and dangers. But if you follow safe beekeeping guidelines, you should be able to minimise the risk to you, your family, your neighbours, and your bees. It’s about being well-prepared, thinking about the placement of your hives, and – most importantly – being calm and patient when you work with bees.

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, How-To, Getting Started, Save the Bees

Spring of swarms – how to safely capture a bee swarm.

Expert advice from Ecrotek – the gear, methods and tips you need to safely capture and relocate a swarm of bees.

Learn, Getting Started

Two hives are better than one

Many hobby beekeepers start with one hive. It’s easy to see why: a single hive is less of an investment in terms of money, it takes up less space in a small garden, and it seems easier to manage. But starting with two hives – or more – is often a better idea.