Beekeeping basics
Begin with a practical introduction to bees, brood and the working parts of a hive.
Starting out & responsibilitiesKEEP YOUR CURIOSITY BUZZING
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Explore practical beekeeping subjects, Australian references and stories from our life with bees. Start with a topic, or search for the question on your mind.
FEATURED READING
Small Hive Beetle Management
Practical information on recognising beetle damage and caring for your colonies.
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A useful path into beekeeping
Begin with responsibilities and hands-on learning. Then get to know seasonal care, nutrition and the health of your colony. Keep current Varroa guidance close — older books and stories are only part of the picture.
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Registering as a beekeeper in NSW
NSW owners of European honey bees must register with NSW DPIRD, including hobby beekeepers.
Starting out & responsibilitiesCodes of practice across Australia
A national resource is a useful foundation, but it does not make every state’s rules identical.
Starting out & responsibilitiesFinding your way around NSW bee information
The NSW DPIRD honey-bee hub brings registration, Varroa, pests and diseases, hive management and pollination together.
Starting out & responsibilitiesThe national biosecurity Code
The Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice sets out a shared framework for responsible apiary management: inspections, disease management, records and practices that reduce spread.
Starting out & responsibilitiesGood practice in the Australian environment
Good beekeeping involves more than the inspection immediately in front of you.
Starting out & responsibilitiesBeekeeping FAQ — questions that still matter
What bees did HoneyBee Hives keep? We kept European honey bees and Italian queens.
Starting out & responsibilitiesWinter care and hive preparation
Winter preparation includes checking food stores and paying attention to colony condition before cold weather.
Seasonal care & nutritionCaring for bees through a shortage
Colony care begins with observation: what is flowering, what stores are present and what demands is the brood placing on the colony? A hive can be busy at the entrance while its food situation still needs attention.
Seasonal care & nutritionSpring management
Spring can bring expanding brood, a higher demand for food and a need to manage space.
Seasonal care & nutritionWintering: plan for your local conditions
Winter preparation is a review of the colony and its site before a period of reduced opportunity.
Seasonal care & nutritionNutrition: nectar, pollen and water
Nectar supplies energy, while pollen supplies protein and other nutrients used in brood rearing and the development of young bees.
Seasonal care & nutritionSupplementary feeding: understand the purpose
Supplementary feeding fills a shortfall; a substitute is used where a natural resource is absent.
Seasonal care & nutritionVarroa: a monitoring and management cycle
Varroa management starts with measured mite levels, not with waiting for a hive to look unwell.
Varroa, beetles & diseasesSmall hive beetle management
The article explains how small hive beetle problems were recognised at HoneyBee Hives.
Varroa, beetles & diseasesSmall hive beetle — management reading
Inspecting for small hive beetle means looking beyond the presence of an occasional adult.
Varroa, beetles & diseasesAmerican foulbrood
American foulbrood is a serious brood disease.
Varroa, beetles & diseasesChalkbrood
Chalkbrood is a fungal brood disease associated with the familiar chalk-like mummified larvae.
Varroa, beetles & diseasesEuropean foulbrood
European foulbrood is a bacterial brood disease with a different cause and management pathway from American foulbrood.
Varroa, beetles & diseasesNosemosis / Nosema
Nosema affects adult honey bees rather than presenting as a distinctive brood disease.
Varroa, beetles & diseasesPests and diseases: learn a routine
A useful inspection routine builds familiarity with healthy brood and adult bees, so an unusual change stands out.
Varroa, beetles & diseasesVarroa life cycle: why timing matters
Understanding the relationship between Varroa and bee brood helps explain why one low count is not a permanent all-clear.
Varroa, beetles & diseasesFloods and recovering an apiary
Personal safety comes before checking a flooded hive.
Weather, pesticides & recoveryBushfire, heat and smoke
Prepare an apiary emergency plan before a dangerous day: know the site access, who needs to be contacted and where current warnings are published.
Weather, pesticides & recoveryReducing pesticide harm
Communication between growers, spray operators and beekeepers is an important part of protecting bees.
Weather, pesticides & recoveryReport suspected bee poisoning in NSW
If you suspect pesticide misuse or impacts on bees, contact the NSW EPA Environment Line as soon as possible on 131 555.
Weather, pesticides & recoveryRemoving honey from the hive
Honey is the colony’s stored food.
Honey & pollen harvestingPollen trapping and storage
Pollen collected by bees supports the colony’s nutrition, particularly brood rearing.
Honey & pollen harvestingCrop pollination
Pollination is the transfer of pollen that enables fertilisation in flowering plants.
Pollination & bee-friendly gardensA bee-friendly garden
A useful pollinator garden offers flowers across seasons rather than a brief flush followed by months with little available.
Pollination & bee-friendly gardensThe Buzz About Bees — Capilano
This illustrated 2021 booklet is an accessible introduction to honey bees, honey, beekeeping and pollination.
Booklets, courses & local helpWelcome to the Hive — University of Florida
Explore this University of Florida / IFAS 4-H learning resource.
Booklets, courses & local helpBeekeeping 101: learning with videos
Video can make unfamiliar equipment and hive handling easier to understand.
Booklets, courses & local helpTheBeekeeper.org / Flow training
Flow’s online course offers a structured way to work through beekeeping topics at your own pace.
Booklets, courses & local helpOnline beekeeping courses
Explore Ecrotek’s learning resources and online course options.
Booklets, courses & local helpAustralian beekeeping associations
A local club can connect general reading with the conditions where you keep bees.
Booklets, courses & local helpBiosecurity training
Biosecurity training helps turn an intention to keep healthy bees into repeatable habits: recognise changes, record observations, reduce movement of suspect material and know where to report a concern.
Booklets, courses & local helpNo matching topics. Try a shorter search or choose all topics.
Found a swarm?
Keep your distance and keep children and pets away. Do not disturb or try to move the bees yourself. Use the NSW guidance and an experienced local collector. Availability and any fee are agreed directly with the collector; HoneyBee Hives does not arrange collection.
BEEKEEPING ARTICLES
Stories and experience worth keeping
Small Hive Beetle Management
Beekeeping articles and experiences.
Wintering Bees
Beekeeping articles and experiences.
Native Plants for Bees
Beekeeping articles and experiences.
Beekeeping FAQ
Beekeeping articles and experiences.