Articles

If you’re a new beekeeper, or you’re simply interested in the insects that populate your garden, it’s good to be able to differentiate between the honey bees you’re caring for, other harmless species of bee and fly, and potential threats like wasps.

If you’re not a beekeeper, you probably don’t think about honeybees all that much. They might be annoying when you’re out in the garden, but that’s about it. But, whether you keep bees or not, honeybees actually have a huge impact on the food you eat, the clothes you wear, and the world you live in. And they’re facing the threat of extinction right now.

Spring is the ideal time to revamp your garden and do some planting. If you’re a bee fan – whether you have hives or not – you might want to think about making your garden more attractive to bees. Of course, any flowering plant will bring in some bee activity, but there are some plants that are particularly appealing to the tiny foragers.

Bees are more than cute, busy little honey-makers. If honeybees become rare or extinct, no longer having honey will be the least of our problems – more than a third of our food crops rely on bee pollination, so our diets would be significantly reduced. In 2006 and 2007, record losses of bee colonies struck fear into the hearts of farmers and environmentalists. It was a low point for the worldwide bee population, and it triggered a closer look at the reasons for bee decline. Although there are a number of reasons for dwindling bee populations, pesticide usage is a major factor. Many commercial pesticides have an impact on bee health, and some are particularly harmful. When individual bees die or lifespans are reduced, the colony can weaken and eventually fail. In New Zealand, the Environmental Protection Agency sets strict rules around pesticide use to minimise harm to bees – and our bee population is relatively robust as a result. Protecting bees takes constant work from farmers, protection agencies, beekeepers, and even gardeners – but it’s worth the effort.

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

American foulbrood disease (AFB) is a disease of honey bee larvae and pupae caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae.

​A new study has found that insecticides could soon be developed that can target pests without harming beneficial insects such as bees and bumble bees.