Join me on a unique episode of "Bees with Ben" as I take you on a journey to Shepparton!

Recorded on the road, this episode captures the spontaneous and unfiltered thoughts I navigate through my beekeeping job, whilst on the road!

Expect a delightful ramble covering a variety of topics, from the intricacies of beekeeping in different environments to amusing anecdotes from the road.

'"Ben's on-the-go recording brings an authentic and immersive experience, making you feel like you're right there with him". Tune in for a mix of beekeeping insights, personal stories, and a touch of road trip charm.

 In this episode, I chat with Sam and Nicholas, the dynamic father-son duo behind Meli Honey. Their journey is a testament to passion, family, and the pursuit of quality. We dive into their fascinating story of importing premium Greek honey to Australia, and how their love for this golden elixir has translated into a thriving business. Just after we wrapped up recording, Sam and Nicholas received the incredible news that Meli Honey had won gold at the London Honey Awards! This accolade is a significant milestone for them and a testament to the exceptional quality of their honey.  

https://www.melihoney.com.au

https://www.instagram.com/melihoney1/

Today’s very special guest on the Bees with Ben podcast is Corinne Jordan from The Bee Lady

Apiaries (visit honeybeelady.com). Corinne founded this family-owned business in 2008 after initially

researching beekeeping as a potential vocation for her son (who subsequently proved to be allergic

to bee venom) and then developing a passion for honey bees herself! Located about halfway

between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, at the mouth of the Logan River, she is blessed with near

perfect weather and an extended beekeeping season. This suited her interest in breeding queens,

and around 2012 she decided to refocus from honey production (with an apiary containing 50-100

hives) to selective breeding and queen production. In her ideal climate, queen breeding can take

place just about all year round.

Corinne says it takes determination, resilience, good record keeping and keen observational skills to

be a successful queen breeder, as well as fine motor control, and that the bees must always come

first. She says that it requires a lot of effort for little financial reward, but that the greatest rewards

are derived through resultant stock improvements. She tells Ben that breeding is an evolving activity,

since it is impossible to focus on a range of traits at any one time; she is currently working on

resistance to chalkbrood and EFB. All her breeding is conducted by instrumental insemination. She

catches the drones on their return from mating flights, then extracts the semen and inserts this into

virgin queens that have been first anaesthetised with carbon dioxide. The queens generally start to

lay just 5 days later. Corinne produces an average of about 150 queens per season, and still to this

day struggles with introducing the artificially inseminated queens to their hives, as colonies often do

not recognise them as they would a queen that has undergone a normal mating flight.

In her short down season (usually between May to July), one of Corinne’s pastimes is to catch up on

bee research around the world. It was in this way that she discovered the work of Dr Kaira Wagoner

(of the University of North Carolina) on varroa sensitive hygiene. Essentially, this refers to the ability

of some bees to detect the presence of the varroa mite in brood, whereupon they uncap the cells

and remove infected larvae, thereby breaking the mites’ breeding cycle. One of the difficulties in

selecting for varroa resistance in Australia has always been that we have had no active mite

population, however, Corinne remained intrigued by the prospect of breeding resistant stock (she

had been selecting for hygienic behaviour in general since 2014), in part since she was convinced

that varroa would one day inevitably reach Australia. Dr Wagoner’s research identified elevated

levels of 2 hydrocarbons in brood infected with varroa; she managed to synthesize these compounds

and produce a spray which could be applied to brood capping. Bees which exhibit varroa sensitive

hygiene (VSH) will recognise the odour of these chemicals just as if varroa was present and eliminate

the brood accordingly. This is something of a game changer since it does not require the presence of

the mites to test for VSH. Corinne subsequently reached out to Dr Wagoner and has been included in

field tests for the spray. Initial tests indicate that about 4% of honey bee colonies exhibit VSH,

however Corinne is now seeking funding for large-scale trials - she estimates it will cost about

$250,000 for the first year, and has set up a special website for the project, beegenetics.com

Corinne is well placed to conduct this research with a number of unique assets. She has a proven

track record, insemination skills and an apiary with high quality stock. She has the support of

industry groups as well as 'Flow' and will donate the resultant queens to raise further funds.

If you are able to assist with this vital project, please head to beegenetics.com for further details.

PODCAST EPISODE 31: Daniel Curless,  Curless Aussie Apiaries, Lockyer Valley, Queensland.

In a remarkable initiation into beekeeping, Queensland-based beekeeper Daniel Curless obtained his first ever hives in an unusual circumstance: “My first hives were found abandoned in a dry creek bed, it took a while to clean them up and get them ready to move. When we were ready to move them, we had two adults and about a million bees in the back of a Honda CRV. We left the back window open just in case!” Can’t you just imagine it! Makes my heart race! What a frightening feat to have that many bees – possibly rattled by their home being lifted up and magically relocated – in the back of your car! For his bravery, I am thrilled to welcome Daniel to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast for episode 31.

Like many an internet love story, Daniel and I met via Facebook, but chatting to him instantly let my mind wander to warmer, sunnier lands. Based in Queensland, Daniel’s education in beekeeping dates all the way back to his high school days, and he now runs D & K Apiaries with his father, Graham. Their business involves running hives from Brisbane to Toowoomba; they also produce batches of quality honey that they sell at local farmers’ markets and speciality stores. For Daniel, the real challenge of keeping the perfect hive is producing Queens. Sounds obvious perhaps – without a Queen, the honey pot is dry. Well, it’s actually seriously complicated and intricate business and one Daniel knows like the back of his hand. In fact, he has cut himself quite a niche in the industry, known for his expertise in Queen breeding. For me, I was intrigued to talk to Daniel, and introduce him to my community, so that I could learn more about his work in the north while selfishly reminiscing about my younger days being a chef in Noosa. When I lived in Queensland, I was always amazed at the endless glorious weather, and believe me, bees LOVE that sunshine! Tune in to hear Daniel and I chat about Curless Aussie Apiaries, Queensland weather conditions and how they affect beekeeping practices, Queens, and his dream that his young daughter will grow into a bee lover herself and take an interest in the family business. Big. Bee. Love.

https://www.bensbees.com.au/category/podcasts/

PODCAST EPISODE 30: Peter Gatehouse from Hill Top Hives, South Gippsland, Australia

It’s quite uncanny, but there are many remarkable stories of transformation that centre on bees. It seems to me that bees often enter someone’s life and a change in perspective, even career, ensues that is fulfilling in a way that person needed quite deeply. These stories – which are told quite often – give me goosebumps. Of course, there are logical explanations that might lead a person to fall in love with bees, but I still feel there is some magic there – the world’s most remarkable creatures helping us out, making our days brighter, showing us how to live in a simpler, more natural way.

Peter Gatehouse of Hill Top Hives has one of these stories, and I am thrilled to introduce you to him in episode 30 of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast. Peter was born and raised in Melbourne and moved to South Gippsland with his partner Margaret and young family in 1991, where they settled in Mirboo North. Over the years, the family grew their garden; a special place, that transformed over time, and was even home to some happy chickens and geese. When bees seemed like the next step in the garden’s evolution, Peter was excited to welcome them to the property – he knew that bees would be helpful to pollinate his flowers and that he would eventually garner some delicious honey from them when the time was right. However, he was unaware of how these bees would change his life.

After an unforeseen redundancy after many years as a medical scientist, Peter had the time to commit to his ever-growing passion for bees, and before long, a humble beekeeping hobby blossomed into Hill Top Hives! Hill Top Hives produces local wildflower honeys that display unique colours and flavours specific to South Gippsland, providing customers with honey that they can be confident is sourced locally and ethically. Peter also sources other mono-floral honeys for his customers from other reputable sources when available. In addition, Hill Top Hives offers beautiful beeswax lip balms, wraps, candles and, soon, soaps. Peter also leases hives, manages other people’s hives and offers a consultancy service.

Tune in to hear Peter and I chat about Hill Top Hives, how his scientific background has bolstered his ability to diagnose illness and disease in the hive, and sustainability in local beekeeping. www.hilltophives.net.au

PODCAST EPISODE 29: Ian Steppler, co-owner of Steppler Farms and founder of 'A Canadian Beekeeper's Blog’ YouTube channel, Canada

In the past year, I have grown to appreciate the internet as a tool of knowledge, of skill sharing, of learning and fun. During Melbourne’s strict lockdown, this infinite ether of information became completely vital to the community – a place where we worked, learnt, and caught up with the people we love. Of all the online platforms, YouTube has the power to captivate and educate viewers step-by-step, in pretty much any skill or activity your heart desires! And we all know that blissful feeling of falling into a deep YouTube hole of your favourite (bee) videos, as the hours roll on by…

One man who is not going to help you out of that YouTube addiction is Canadian beekeeper and farm owner Ian Steppler. His insanely popular channel 'A Canadian Beekeeper's Blog’ has over 50,000 subscribers and there is a very good reason why. Ian shows his viewers how to look after and manage their bee colonies throughout four very distinct seasons – this kind of education is invaluable; before the internet, it would have been incredibly difficult to get this depth of knowledge from a professional like Ian, and now it’s available to us all at the click of a button.

Interestingly, Ian came to be the bee-loving YouTube star that he is due to a personal dilemma. You see, he was asked to speak at a large beekeeping club; however, he had a real fear of public speaking. He tried to resist doing the talk entirely, but the club really wanted him to share his knowledge, so with some pressure he agreed to do it. In order to train himself for the event, he started videoing himself speaking about bees, practicing over and over, video after video. Soon, not only did his public speaking improve but he started to feel at home behind the camera! Now Ian runs this very successful YouTube channel with people watching and learning from it across the globe, including me! For that reason, I am thrilled to welcome Ian to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast. Tune in to hear us chat about overcoming your fears to reach your goals, extreme Canadian weather and its effect on beekeeping practices, and how himself and his three brothers work together to keep their farm running smoothly.

http://www.stepplerfarms.com/

PODCAST EPISODE 28: Sanjay Kafle from Mad Honey, Nepal

As we farewell what has been a completely life-changing year, I am starting to dream again. These final days of 2020 have me envisioning new horizons and perspectives – they remind me of the travel we are yearned and are yearning for and the different ways we have found to find peace and escape in this strange and isolating time. For that reason, it is the perfect timing for this special episode of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast, where I welcome Sanjay Kafle from Mad Honey in Nepal. From our conversation, I feel as if Sanjay and I have been friends for a lifetime; he is a warm and happy soul, a wonderful beekeeper and someone who illuminates with his stories and his unique and adventurous practice. Chatting to him was an absolute pleasure, and the perfect way to leave 2020 and welcome 2021.

In keeping with this musing on escapism and adventure, Sanjay works with the “honey hunters” who collects and sells what is known as “Mad Honey”. Mad Honey is produced from bees that pollenate the local (and dangerous) rhododendron flower; the result is a red-coloured honey with very special properties! Mad Honey states that their honey “delivers a perfect dose of the mystical grayanotoxins that have been prized by the people of Nepal for thousands of years. Once exclusive to these remote parts of the world, Mad Honey Nepal is bringing this potent, sweet elixir to the planet”. In short, Mad Honey earns its name from these grayanotoxins which, once ingested, have a euphoric, enlightening, psychoactive effect on the mind: “It’s a happy madness, hence the name ‘Mad Honey’”. In large doses, this honey can be hallucinogenic (and of course I warn all listeners and readers to consume this product responsibly); it also has medicinal qualities. When you try Mad Honey, you will enjoy its aromatic quality and beautiful red hue; however, I was a little scared to try too much as… well… it could be a little too good, if you know what I mean! But a spoonful for Ben now and then is a welcome delight.

Tune in to hear Sanjay and I chat about beautiful and wild Nepal, the devastating effect of COVID on the Nepalese tourism industry, being a honey hunter, and, of course, the very special and a little bit mad, Mad Honey! Grab your own jar of Mad Honey at https://www.madhoney.net or https://www.bestmadhoney.com

PODCAST EPISODE 27: Michael Haddad from Sparkke Natural Brewery, Adelaide.

As the summer starts to slowly warm up in Melbourne, and Christmas bells are ringing after a very long year of challenges, people across Australia (and the world) are finding ways to celebrate the things that really matter in life. There have been many dark moments in 2020, and we understand the fight is not over yet. However, these moments have provided one thing – the space to think about the social, cultural, environmental and economic issues that really matter to us. It is my hope that the isolation we have endured has provided the time for us to reconsider how we live and act; how we treat one another and the planet; and to think about how we might make choices that are in line with what our hearts know to be right and true.

That is why, as Christmas is just days away, I am thrilled to introduce you to an amazing venture for episode 27 of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast that will warm your heart and wet your whistle: Sparkke – a female-founded and -led brewery based in Adelaide that distributes delicious, ethical drinks across Australia. Sparkke calls for respect for all races and genders, reminds drinkers that climate change is indeed real, hammers home the absolute necessity of sexual consent, and honours sustainability. In fact, each of their cans bares a slogan to get drinkers thinking about an abundance of important issues that are close to the heart of the company and its founders – including bees! In the wake of the bushfires that devastated many local colonies earlier in the year, Sparkke brewery has partnered with Save the Bees to raise money to help Australian bees get back on their cute little feet. What gems!

Unfortunately, I was unable to speak to any of the amazing women that run Sparkke, as this time of year is complete madness for small businesses making delicious, natural, ethical beverages! However, the lovely Michael Haddad of Sparkke kindly spoke to me about the brewery, its ethos and fantastic range of drinks right in time for the silly season; he was even kind enough to send me some honey malt liqueur! As we reach the end of what has been a rollercoaster of a year, it’s time to raise a glass, to toast our endurance, our commitment to be better people each and every day, and to make choices that help our community. I am so happy that I can wish you a Merry Christmas with a drink from Sparkke in hand! Cheers and much love, Ben x

https://sparkke.com/

PODCAST EPISODE 26: Adrian O’Hagan from The Bearded Bee, Melbourne

When I first came across natural beekeeping, I knew I had found my place in the world. I love technology (when used for good and not evil) and new ways of adapting and doing things; I also love small business and being fortunate enough to make a living via and as a result of bees; however, I believe that beekeeping should be done always with the best interests of these incredible insects in mind. With that said, I am delighted to share episode 26 of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast with you, introducing a man who wholeheartedly stands for the animal-centric approach of natural beekeeping – Adrian O’Hagan of The Bearded Bee, a company that believes in “making a bee’s life as peaceful as possible. Minimal interventions, a lifetime in the same place, and lots of good plants to forage. We place our hives with avid gardeners who respect the contributions of the humble bee.” Adrian believes that bees need to be treated with respect, and, as a result of a happy and healthy life, bees are generous and remarkable enough to give us honey; but not at their own expense! For this reason, Adrian is interested in selling honey locally, not in mass production, which is often detrimental to the health and happiness of bees.

Adrian fell in love with beekeeping when he hosted a beehive in his backyard under the supervision of beekeeper and mentor Claire Pare. He watched on as Claire cared for the colony, keenly observing how she carried out her inspections. After that, Adrian continued his education through a beekeeping course with the Perm-Apiculture Group; his confidence grew, and he was soon helping Claire take care of her hives throughout the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. As time went by, Adrian’s hive collection grew, and – in a cycle of events – he started hosting his own hives in the gardens of other people. These gardens often belonged to avid gardeners and permaculture enthusiasts, which meant that Adrian could be confident that his bees were living in a chemical-free environment and would be respected by their hosts. As the business grew, the honey flowed freely, leading to his business, The Bearded Bee. These days, Adrian has almost 20 hosts, and his family get in on the action too, helping dad process honey from a bunch of very happy bees.

Tune in to episode 26 to hear Adrian and I chat about bee stings, mentoring, hosting hives, natural beekeeping and keeping honey pure, chemical-free and local.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thebeardedbee.com.au%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1OAeUvkZL7sHzonJPgYeWb4ja8GmjRuICIt4NX6OpJnsGIOqaDSqHH_o4&h=AT3BMhKelj-ESGPuhHUQDl7SlRdxOkVElwkJEzNIGyVPh_jrWFgVDbRc7se2topMZ0gF4hE21eS-j1ArlTPTepIG6RrZtP6hP4jc-s4QPMzVxTHep1POm0abTS00GhSYChrAKEaN

PODCAST EPISODE 25: Steve Donohue, beekeeper and author of Interviews with Beekeepers

Times flies when your… a beekeeper! So, it’s been a MASSIVE two months since we last spoke (or I spoke with beekeepers, and you tuned in), but the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast is back! And I am so very happy about it – I have missed you all so much!

As some of you know, I am becoming an author! My first book titled For the Love of Bees is about to become available as a very limited run (so get your orders in). With that in mind, it’s a total pleasure for this first-time author to welcome an author I admire to the show for episode 25: Steve Donohoe, beekeeper and creator of Interviews with Beekeepers. As Steve describes, “Beekeeping is many things to many people. Maybe it's a hobby, a vocation, a commercial enterprise or your field of study. It will almost certainly become an obsession” – I couldn’t agree more! You see, I know many people who come to bees from varied perspectives and sometimes troubled paths. Steve describes that he was working a tough corporate job, that led him into a drinking problem; it was the bees that helped Steve get back on track and recover to become the man he is today. Profound stuff! Interviews with Beekeepers offers a truly unique insight into all aspects of beekeeping – from bee farms, to raising queens, coping with swarms, and finding the perfect location for an apiary. And Steve collected all this amazing and useful information through a series of conversations with commercial beekeepers – it’s a gem of a book and one I highly recommend you get your mitts on! I even make an appearance in the pages! So, tune in for this special episode, as I return to the air waves to pick the brain of the wonderful Steve Donohue on beekeeping as therapy, authoring a book, getting to know the beekeeping community, and the worst place to get stung!

https://thewalrusandthehoneybee.com/category/interviews-with-beekeepers/

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 24: Ben the Busy Bee says “hi” and “goodbye” – but only for six weeks!

For beekeepers, the annual cycle of work and rest is a rollercoaster. As bees rug up and hibernate for the winter, beekeepers wait around, twiddling their thumbs, dreaming of bees, painting bee boxes, and drinking long cups of tea doused in their favourite honey. To be honest, the cooler months of the year can be quite excruciating! And then, FINALLY, the first blooms of spring peek out into the world, the first rays of sunshine meander down between the branches of the trees above, and “bijingo”, there you have it, bees as far as the eye can see! That’s right, bee lovers, the bees are well and truly back in Melbourne and Victoria and (you guessed it) I’m happy as a bee could be! Being reunited with my colonies and those of others has me grinning ear to ear. However, it also has me well and truly run off my feet with work! That is why I bring you none other than myself to episode 24 of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast to wish you a monetary goodbye from the airwaves.

“What?” you ask, “Not, the podcast? Don’t tell me there are no more chats with world-class beekeepers and lovers?!”

Fear not, the podcast is well and truly here to stay – in fact, it’s so popular that I am constantly receiving requests and queries about what’s up next, and how people can get involved. I absolutely love having a platform to introduce the Ben’s Bees community to bee-related professionals from near and far; it’s a true delight, and one I can’t wait to get back to! However, right now, I am flat out rehoming swarms around Melbourne; helping bees pollinate orchards like blueberries, raspberries and pears; mentoring beekeepers; stocking the online store; and getting bees ready for their new owners (believe me, the backyard in full of ‘nucs’ for people to collect when the time is right).

So, while I get to work keeping Victoria’s bees happy and healthy, my mind will be ticking away with new ideas and guests for the podcast when I return to your airwaves in six weeks’ time. So, who can you look forward to meeting when I return, you ask? Some special guests include Ian Steppler from A Canadian Beekeeper blog and YouTube channel and Trevor Monson who helps coordinate the biggest movement of bees in Australia! Also – in case I wasn’t busy enough – get set for me to launch my first ever book (!!!), just in time for Christmas (more on that soon). While I say ciao for now to the BEES WITH BEN podcast, check-in on my social media and blog for busy-Ben updates over the next six weeks! Love Ben x

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 23: Sarah Hamilton, Native Beekeeper and founder of BeeYourself, Brisbane, Australia

These days the honeybee is well-known and well-loved. Of course, I completely understand why – these little darlings pollinate 70% of the world’s food crops, so what’s not to love! In comparison, native bees don’t get nearly as much press as they deserve. Hugely diverse across the globe and each with their characters and unique abilities, native bees are the unsung heroes of the bee world. With smaller populations and less understood needs, their food supplies and homes can be threatened, with some species even facing extinction.

Australia is also home to a number of very special, unusual and useful native bees, that are an important part of the bushland. Before the introduction of honeybees in 1823, there were, and still are, some 1600 species of indigenous bee in Australia! They come in all shapes, sizes and colours, be that black, yellow, red, metallic green, blue polka dotted and striped! Some are fat and furry, while others are sleek and shiny. At their extremes, Australia’s tiniest native bee of just 2mm comes from Cape York and is known as the Quasihesma bee; on the other end of the spectrum, Australia's largest native bee, the 24mm long Great Carpenter Bee, can be found in the tropical north and northern NSW. Due to their general small size, some native bees can be confused for flies. To my knowledge, of the ten major groups of native bees in Australia, stingless bees prefer warm climates (and not residing in Victoria) and is the only bee currently available for sale in Australia.

And with that introduction, I would like to make a second introduction, and welcome the wonderful Sarah Hamilton to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast for episode 23. Sarah is an Australian native beekeeper based in Brisbane, who sells her hives down the east coast of Australia and runs the website and venture BeeYourself. According to Sarah, “Australian native bees help pollinate your gardens and or crops, helping them bloom to their greatest potential, they produce a unique honey and they are stingless. The good news is that it is very simple to install and maintain a hive of your own”; with that in mind, I would highly recommend anyone interested in native bees gets in touch with Sarah to discuss how they can come to own and nurture some native colonies – a fantastic and worthwhile addition to the local fauna-scape. Listen in to hear Sarah and I chat about threats to native bees, the huge price tag attached to stingless bee honey ($250-$500 per kilo!), honey production levels, and the benefits of keeping stingless bees in schools, kindergartens and hospitals. Let’s learn about and from native bees in Australia, with the help of Sarah Hamilton. Tune in! 

 http://www.beeyourself.com.au/

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 22: Matthew Waltner-Toews, Unspun Honey, Mount Gambier, Australia

I love imperfections in nature, especially honey. As a natural beekeeper, I take my hat off to businesses that privilege the wellbeing of the bee over all else. That’s what makes Unspun Honey one of my favourite ventures. Located in the Mount Gambier region, Unspun Honey is owned and operated by Matthew Waltner-Toews and his family – a lovely pack of first-generation, self-taught beekeepers who started in 2014 and now have themselves an ethical business that honours bees, sustainability and the environment. I am inspired by people who don’t come from the world of beekeeping, yet take it on with such gusto and warm-hearted passion that everything they do touch seems to turn to gold (or honey, which is the same thing really): “No-one in our family has, to the best of our knowledge, ever kept bees before”. What gems. And it’s for these reasons I am so thrilled to welcome Matthew to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast for episode

For anyone that isn’t certain, natural beekeeping aims to replicate, or mimic, the nest structure that would usually be found in the wild. By doing this, the colony is made to feel as comfortable as possible, and the intricate and sophisticated processes carried out by bees can continue. This encourages the superorganism to communicate as effectively as possible and adapt to external conditions as they arise, from a disease to an environmental shift. Therefore, we see that natural beekeeping allows the bees to do all their everyday tasks and activities as naturally as possible – be that reproduce, build honeycomb, make honey or source food. Anti-chemical and pro-nature, this approach knows that bee health and happiness is always central to a good beekeeping practice. As Matthew explains, “Our business is one of only a few at the forefront of natural beekeeping and true, local artisan honey production. We strongly believe that the high quality of our product is a direct result of our unconventional philosophy: compassion and ethical treatment of our bees.”

Listen in to episode 22 to hear Mathew and I speak about Unspun Honey, the remarkable Warre beehive, the characteristics and charm of raw honey, and the beauty of simple beekeeping method.

https://unspunhoney.com/

https://www.bensbees.com.au/

Ben’s guest in this episode of the Bees with Ben podcast is Simon Wynn-Taylor from Steritech. The

company’s website (steritech.com.au) details some of the history of this family-owned Australian

business, which emerged in Melbourne in the 1970s as the pioneer for gamma irradiation processing

and has continued to pave the way for sterilization and decontamination processing. Steritech now

operates 3 gamma irradiation plants and 6 ethylene oxide sterilization chambers across 4 sites in

Melbourne, New South Wales and Queensland, and is the most prominent contract sterilization and

decontamination processor in the Asia-Pacific region, and one of the world’s largest. The business

services an extensive variety of industries and companies worldwide and routinely processes over

1,000 different products.

For the agricultural sector, this means the safe and effective elimination of contamination and pests,

in order to meet biosecurity and quarantine requirements and allow export both within Australia

and overseas. Steritech introduced the first whole pallet irradiator customised to treat fresh fruits

and vegetables in the world, located in Queensland. The facility provides phytosanitary treatments

for fresh produce that does not require the cold chain to be broken during treatment and is a

valuable tool for pursuing the highest possible quality and freshness.

Similarly, Steritech’s sterilization processes have important applications in the fields of medicine,

pharmaceuticals and cosmetics by minimizing any risks associated with microbiological

contamination. The company provides essential treatments for imported goods, as well as assisting

to keep a large range of pet foods and packaging also free from contamination.

But what about beekeepers? Well, gamma radiation has been proven to be the most effective

method of eliminating pathogens and insects from contaminated equipment, meaning that in many

instances beekeepers can avoid the costly exercise of replacing hives. Gamma irradiation kills small

hive beetle, American foulbrood and European foulbrood, amongst other pests, and is used by many

beekeepers as an important form of regular maintenance.

Incidentally, it was back in 1982, during a large outbreak of AFB, that Steritech was involved in the

first commercial gamma irradiation of bee boxes in the world, when 1,400 boxes were treated as an

alternative to simply burning them. Since then, Steritech has successfully treated hundreds of

thousands of hives, and the process is recognized by all relevant state departments as a proven

method of eliminating AFB and EFB. Unlike chemical treatments, which may not reach every part of

the equipment, gamma irradiation penetrates all areas of the bee equipment and leaves no

residues.

Ben says he gets about half a dozen pallets ‘zapped’ per year and has been using the process for

many years. Simon operates from the relatively new facility in Maryfield, on the northern outskirts

of Melbourne, which is situated about 20 minutes from the large fresh produce market at Epping.

Sterilization treatments are particularly instrumental in preventing the spread of fruit fly and thereby

ensuring that local produce can be exported to other important markets. Simon says the concrete

bunker at Maryfield which ensures that all radiation is contained has walls up to 5 metres thick, and

that the amount of concrete used in its construction was equivalent to one concrete truck every 30

minutes for 30 days! He says it is important to remember that Steritech is happy to service all

customers - down to the smallest of beekeepers. And the strangest thing he has had to treat? It’s

hard to beat the Swedish metal band whose guitars had to be irradiated since they were covered in

animal blood! For further details visit steritech.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 21: Cedar Anderson, Flow Hive co-inventor, Byron Bay, Australia

While the recording of this episode might be a little crackly in parts, I feel it represents something of the character of my next guest. Inventor, entrepreneur, bee lover, family man, paraglider, Flow Hive co-creator – Cedar Anderson is a truly down-to-earth bloke with truly down-to-earth (yet highly ambitious) passions. The chat we had – recorded, on his end, from underneath his house – crackles in parts, like an earthy laugh, and seems indicative of Cedar’s grass-roots approach. However, this analogy doesn’t quite paint the picture of just how switched on and inspiring Cedar truly is. An ABC article by Vanessa Gorman perfectly summed up Cedar’s evolution in its title: ‘From humble hippie to multi-millionaire businessman — the man who revolutionised the beehive’.

Cedar and I first met when I went to visit him with Simon Mulvany (from Save the Bees) at his home in Broken Head, near Byron Bay, in the spectacular Northern Rivers area of New South Wales; however, I had heard of him long before that trip and was excited to meet him in person. What you take from meeting this lovely man is that he is dedicated to his family, he loves and appreciates nature, he is an inspiring businessperson, and that his connection to bees has allowed him to create a system for extracting honey that is both unique and effective. This third-generation beekeeper has been inspiring the beekeeping community in Australia and abroad with his new ideas and environmental ethos – check out his TEDxBrisbane Talk, ‘Why the World Needs Backyard Inventors’ if you haven’t already.

So, what is this revolutionary invention Cedar co-invented, you might ask? The Flow Hive presents a new way of extracting honey from Langstroth-style European honeybee hives. While understanding that the most important aspect of any honey production process is respect for the animal and looking after a colony as best as humanly possible, a system like the Flow Hive changes the honey extraction process completely through “an artificial foundation made from BPA- and BPS-free food grade plastic, manufactured right here in Australia, on which the bees build their comb”. The bees fill the artificial cells with honey and cap them off. Then, a “Flow Key” is inserted to split the cells, and gravity helps the honey flow into the trough, through tubes and straight into your honey jars! With an incredible 48,000+ customers in over 139 countries, the Flow Hive is building even stronger connections between keepers and bees. Tune in to hear Cedar and I talk about the Flow Hive, inventing, family, eco-business and stumbling upon a 30-year-old bee box mid-podcast!

https://www.honeyflow.com.au

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 20: Ryan Moloney (AKA “Toadfish” from Neighbours), Beach Box Honey, Australia

If there is a piece of fine art that sums up the experience of the Aussie suburbs like no other, it’s Neighbours. And while the soap opera has a swag of lovable and hateable and completely relatable cast members, I feel very positive and assured in saying that there is one character that viewers, probably around the 30-to-40-years bracket, adore most of all. For this reason, I am beyond excited to introduce the one and only Ryan Moloney – or (no kidding) Jarrod “Toadfish” Rebecchi as he’s known on the show – to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast for a whopping episode 20!

You see, I get quite a few emails and messages asking for more Australian-based beekeepers on the podcast, and when I found out that Ryan is a keen beekeeper, with a couple of years’ experience under his belt, and a new beekeeping business on the horizon, I thought – WOW! Toadie just went to a whole new level in my big Aussie heart! For any of you that are too young, or perhaps live overseas and were not privy to Neighbours episodes of the 1990s, Toadfish is an iconic character, loved for his cheekiness, in strife for his bad behaviour, relatable for his vulnerability. He was that guy that was always the class clown, and often the butt of jokes; who, when finishing school, surprised the whole of Australia by blossoming into a respectable and warm-hearted member of the community. With a law degree under his belt, a newfound sense of motivation, a love life, and a neighbourhood of great friends, Toadie inspired many young kids out there (including myself) to make the most of their lives (while keeping that glimmer in their eye and that skip in their step and that joke up their sleeve). And he’s still on the show today, 22 years on, indispensable and loveable as ever!

And while I understand I have just described a TV character to you, there is a definite warmth and authenticity that both Toadie and Ryan share, which filters through into this new episode. Tune in as we chat about Neighbours, beekeeping, family, flying planes, and Beach Box Honey – a wonderful new beekeeping business run by Ryan and his wife Alison which will surely be a huge success! Be sure to check out Beach Box Honey (not Beach House Honey as mentioned in the podcast) on Instagram! 

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 19: Cody Adams, beekeeper, founder of Bee Scientific and Bee Barrell Hive creator, Utah, USA

Beehives: for beekeepers, these are not just boxes of different shapes and sizes, they are the residences of our best friends, the bees. And, as we love our bees dearly, we want to make homes for them that are functional, architecturally sound, ergonomic, suit their lifestyle, respond to the climate, fill them with joy, make them want to make honey and more honey, give them a perfect place to rest, provide a sanctuary for their young, and the list goes on! We want our bees’ hive to be nothing less than a palace, with an interior that belongs in the bee-version of Vogue magazine, with access to a bee-friendly garden and the kind of climate control that allows our friends to live in all corners of the globe, no matter the weather. If there is one person that knows all about making the perfect hive for bees it is Cody Adams of Bee Scientific, Utah, USA, and I am thrilled to welcome him to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast for episode 19!

Utah is a place of extremes. With summers that reach 40°C and winters that plummet to -28°C, the bees need homes that can cope with huge highs and lows. Cody is the creator of the Bee Barrell hive: a unique design that focuses on climate control and keeps the bees of Utah happy year-round. The Bee Barrel has a characteristic barrel shape that protects bees from the elements, eliminates stress and minimizes damage to cells and comb, and increases productivity.

With a business motto that states "Anyone can be a keeper and we are going to help them become one ", Cody Adams is my kind of human. Listen in to Cody and I chat about Utah, his journey to beekeeping, a time when he lived in Melbourne, his love of Australians, the Bee Barrel, specialty hives and his business, Bee Scientific. Tune in

PODCAST EPISODE 18: Emily Forrest Mikschi from Embodybee, wandering the East Coast of Australia

There is a quote from Eve Byers’ short documentary, BEEing Kept, where Emily Forrest Mikschi says “I don’t really think you could call me a beekeeper because I feel as though it’s the bees that are keeping me.” What a thought, one to stir over slowly, one that conjures the complexity of the relationship between humans and bees and begs us to think about the depths of that connection. Emily Forrest Mikschi is an enigma. On paper, she is the genius behind her business Embodybee – she educates children and adults alike, keeps bees, sells bee products, safely rehomes, and runs creative bee-oriented workshops. However, she is much more. A sensual soul, a sexual being, with a spiritual connection to bees unlike anyone I have met in the past. Indeed, I am always thrilled to introduce you to each and every one of the guests on the BEES WITH BEN podcast, but this week I am especially excited, as Emily brings a perspective to the table that is raw, ancient, loving, bodily and simultaneously of this world and not – her relationship to bees is one that stimulates all the senses and dips into a kind of consciousness that requires a special kind of intuitive connection to the natural world.

Emily told me of an erotic dream she once had, with bees and a snake. As some of you may know, symbolic meaning has been attributed to natural objects and beings since ancient times, and bees too have their own connection to the spiritual realm. Accessing the depths of consciousness often requires a strong understanding of the body, and how it relates to the earth, time and space. With these things in mind (and they are not small ideas), we might be able to shed some light on Emily’s unique perspective. For Emily, beekeeping is much more than a way to procure honey, or even a way to help the planet; for her, bees are sacred beings, connected intrinsically to love and worship. With this in mind, Emily has made it her life’s mission to “re-sacralise the bee”, or, make it a scared being once again. Invested in a kind of mutual relationship with bees – a sort of sensual and spiritual love affair – Emily approaches bees from a position of love and respect, and hopes that this approach is adopted more widely, so that all forms of apiary centre on symbiosis – a mutual and beneficial relationship between humans and, as Emily calls them, “sun beings”.

Make sure you tune in to listen to Emily and I wander through the depths of her sacred, spiritual and sensual practice that is far more than just beekeeping. We chat about Emily’s vision, her business Embodybee, spirituality, and getting naked and honey-dipped with the bees themselves. Tempted? I bet! 

www.embodybee.org

https://www.facebook.com/groups/596879457439100

PODCAST EPISODE 17: Jill and John Richards from Nature’s Gold, Brisbane, Australia

I love a good team. There is a very beautiful saying by Mother Theresa that reads, "None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful." I have been doing a lot of thinking about what it means to work as a team, no matter how small that team might be. At Ben’s Bees, I do a lot of running around on my own, but each and every day I rely on the help of my employees, colleagues, clients, friends and family to help make my business a success. These small and large collaborations keep me inspired, spark new ideas and help the daily running of my business.

Despite the deep respect I have for individuals that go out there and turn their dreams into reality, there is a different respect that goes out to those who find a way to join their passion with someone else’s, creating a symbiotic relationship where work is infused with the connection between those people – what is achieved has great heart and soul. I have also noticed that ventures where people join together in a partnership or larger group tend to create products and services that naturally connect with more people and encourage further collaboration – each small act of love (as described by Mother Theresa) joining to the next to make something that moves, brightens, warms and changes the world. For that reason, I am thrilled to introduce the first beekeeping couple to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast, Jill and John Richards from Nature’s Gold!

Based in Brisbane, Queensland, there is a personal reason why Nature’s Gold specialises in manuka honey varieties, and why Jill and John are “The Manuka Honey People.” Jill Richards started the company 15 years ago now, when a bad case of eczema saw her turn to manuka honey to aid her troubled skin. Now, having built a dream venture with her husband John, the duo sells their incredible and potent manuka products to the public for therapeutic benefits. Nature’s Gold also supplies hospitals with manuka products, where it is achieving great results healing burns and ulcers where antibiotics are unsuccessful. Last but not least, Nature’s Gold is now making manuka products to help out animals with their own skin ailments! Tune in to hear Jill, John and myself chat about the potency of the duo’s manuka honey, the “war” between Aussies and Kiwis for the manuka label, the benefits of beekeeping cooperatives, and investing in particular plant species for the creation of high-grade medicinal honey varieties

https://naturesgold.com.au

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 16: Richard Noel, beekeeper, business owner, and all-round interesting chap, Brittany, France

For me, one of the best things about beekeeping is the way it connects to other things. Beekeeping isn’t just an activity in raising colonies and collecting honey – bees connect us to the environment, showing us how small we are and simultaneously how important it is that we change our ways to keep the planet healthy for all creatures great and small. The process of keeping bees is not just a practical one that has evolved over centuries since ancient times (although this is endlessly fascinating); it is also an art form – a slow practice that involves the love of a certain hive and the way it works. Similarly, the people who keep bees are often not just regular, straight-down-the-line beekeepers. From my experience, more often than not, those who are drawn to beekeeping, especially those attracted to it later in life, have lived through many experiences and often various jobs and careers until they come to beekeeping. Where am I going with all of this? I want to introduce you to a lovely English chap. A dear friend. A (once) paramedic. A landscape gardener. And now, a passionate beekeeper with a full-time bee-oriented business that focuses on queen production and a special strain of varroa-resistant bee. I am thrilled to welcome the one-and-only Richard Noel from Brittany in the north-west of France to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast for episode 16!

When I was galivanting around Europe a couple of years back, I was lucky enough to stay with Richard and help him out on his property in Brittany in north-west France. For a week I became chief lawn mower, with my primary job to keep the grass down in front of his hives! And you know what, I LOVED IT! I felt that youthful rush of being a new, apprentice beekeeper again. All those basic but important jobs still fill me with joy, and as I pushed away at that lawn mower, I saw just how hard-working Richard really is. Since then, we have stayed in constant contact – he is passionate and chatty and fascinating, and I am so pleased to introduce him to you all. Tune in and hear Richard and I chat about his business, how we met, his path to beekeeping, and the difference in beekeeping cycles between Brittany and Melbourne.

http://beesinbrittany.blogspot.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClFlG4yfKhR2-w9VN_r8M3w

http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 15: Gladstone Solomon, beekeeper and Bees for Development trustee, Tobago

Some people have wise and particularly beautiful souls. It is not something that can be quantified; it is just a feeling that you get when you meet them, a kind of radiance that exudes from their being. I have seen this in bee-people – as generally, humans that love bees are good sorts – they have a connection to the environment and an understanding of the necessity to be at one with nature. But every now and then a keeper, a bee-lover, comes along and I just feel calm and like I am speaking to someone with important knowledge, which is why I am so excited to introduce you to the lovely Gladstone Solomon for episode 15 of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast!

I met Gladstone last year at the Apimondia beekeeping conference in Montreal and was struck by his life story and understanding of bees from places I had only dreamed of going to (and hopefully get to visit one day in the not-too-distant future!). Gladstone is a beekeeper who was born in Trinidad but has lived in Tobago most of his life – a place where honey is more sought after than sugar! He is also a trustee for Bees for Development – a wonderful charity that helps alleviate poverty across the world through beekeeping activities. This didn’t surprise me at all, as Gladstone’s caring demeanour fit perfectly with his connection to aid and social justice organisations. In Canada, we celebrated Gladstone’s 70th birthday, and it was a real treat! I knew that I had to see him again one day soon, but as my plans for travel have been halted, I thought what better way to stay in touch than to invite him to share his story and knowledge on the podcast!

Tune in to hear more about Gladstone’s personal story as well some really fascinating information on the bees of Trinidad – a notoriously aggressive variety that landed there in 1979 – compared to the more peaceful bee-souls that can be found in Tobago. We also chat about the effect of the weather (wet and dry seasons) on beekeeping in the Caribbean, as well as the devastating impact that varroa destructor had when it landed there in August 2000, wiping out half the colonies on the island!

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 14: Michael Kiem from Denmar Apiaries, Cloyna, Queensland

Due to the vastness of Australia, much business happens via road and air. This extends to apiary and beekeeping, and in one great example, I source my queen bees from a wonderful keeper and breeder, Michael Kiem from Denmar Apiaries, way up in Cloyna, Queensland. Michael runs his apiary with his wife Crystal and is one of the biggest queen breeders in Australia, breeding around 30,000 queen bees per year! And that is a very important job! These little gems and builders of the colony are shipped, via Australia Post would you believe, all across the country; in my case, they travel down to Victoria where I give them their second happy home. A keeper fit for a queen (bee), I am thrilled to introduce Michael to my community for episode 14 of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast.

To begin, let’s have a quick chat about the queen bee. The highest-ranking position in the honeybee society, the queen bee is the dominant adult in the colony and is the mother of most, if not all, the bees in the group. She can be recognised by her characteristically large abdomen and is typically the only bee of her type in the hive. Mating with many drone bees until she is fertilised, the queen then lays up to 1500 eggs each day during spring and summer, creating the colony itself. Queens have been known to colonise a hive for up to five years; however, once she cannot produce enough eggs to sustain the group, a new queen bee must take her place. Future queen bee larvae are chosen carefully by the worker bees and then nourished with a protein-rich secretion called “royal jelly”. This superfood ensures that new queens will be sexually mature enough to start the cycle all over again. However, in a dramatic beginning to life, the newly hatched queen must not only destroy unhatched rivals but also kill any existing queens in the colony!

No one knows queens like Michael Kiem. He does a lot of driving around the countryside to areas where there are flowers for his bees. Denmar Apiaries is a small, family-run business and with two full-time employees – his 13-year-old son is keen on bees too and is great at catching queens! Michael brought the business just over ten years ago from the original owners, Dennis and Margaret Kidd (who he learnt so much from); however, he also worked in Canada with a big queen breeder – he is a definite oracle on the subject! Tune in to hear Michael and I chat about his business, his positive relationship with Australia Post (helped along with a few pots of delicious honey from time to time!), the Australian queen market, his hatred of paperwork, his love of plastic bee cages, and, of course, his beer can collection!

www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 13: Adam Barassi, Tax Accountant from Barassi and Co. Chartered Accountants and Future Beekeeper

As we are all starting to learn that we need to slow down and smell the roses … but THEN we learn that in order for flowers (like roses) and other plants to grow and be smelt, pollination has to occur. Which brings us to bees, of course! Bees are the world’s number one, most-loved pollinator. Part of the process of humans slowing down involves realising what is truly important, which comes back, each and every time, to the environment. To realising that we are not bigger than this planet – in fact, it is a force far greater than us – and that if we don’t get in sync with it, if we don’t nurture it in every way possible, we are, well… doomed. Where is this going you might ask? Well, episode 13 of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast is a special one, because it is the aspect of my job that I love the most. It’s the moment when someone reaches out to me, someone who has no or very little experience with bees, and says: “Ben, I want to be a beekeeper!”

In this episode, Adam Barassi – tax accountant and director of Barassi and Co. Chartered Accountants – and I chat about how he can start keeping bees. Adam got in touch just a week or so ago to express that he wanted some tips and tools and bees to help him get started; he knows nothing about bees whatsoever and has never kept any of his own. You see, this doesn’t matter! What matters is a love for the planet, and a passion for learning about these ingenious creatures. I have taught innumerable people how to look after their first colonies, and I can assure you that none of them have ever looked back – bees are a passion that teach you about the ecosystem and make you appreciate our place within it. That makes this podcast an extra special one for any person looking to keep bees for the first time, as I run through the steps with Adam.

Adam, however, is definitely a good match for beekeeping! A keen gardener, he wanted to keep bees on his property so that they could help pollinate his fruit trees and vegetable garden plus get a little honey on the side. In this episode, we chat about: the best place to set up your hive; what's involved in looking after bees; the genetics of bees and choosing which bee is best for you; basic information on pests and diseases bees are prone to catching; beekeeping clubs and mentoring; registering with the Department of Primary Industries; and last but not least, the importance of bees making honey for themselves first and foremost (but thankfully they are often happy to share!). A big thank you to Adam for getting in touch, and for the amazing opportunity to answer some common questions that new beekeepers have when they first start out. Tune in!

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 12: Stephen Heatley, owner of Kangaroo Island Ligurian Queen Bees, Kangaroo Island

Artists are known to be eccentric people, but from my experience, some of the best and most interesting beekeepers are similarly colourful characters. To be so obsessed with one small, yet mighty, creature takes a certain personality, and a little wackiness and a lot of passion seem to be quite usual key ingredients in the recipe of a great beekeeper. That is why I am excited to introduce you to Stephen Heatley, owner of Kangaroo Island Ligurian Queen Bees, Kangaroo Island, for Episode 12 of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast.

Any of you that have visited Kangaroo Island know is a truly magnificent place. Situated off the mainland of South Australia near Adelaide, this glorious part of the world captivates all who visit its shores. Did you know that over a third of Kangaroo Island is protected as nature reserves? This gem is home to an abundance of native wildlife like sea lions, koalas and a myriad of bird species. In the west, Flinders Chase National Park is famous for its penguin colonies and striking coastal rock formations, stalactite-strewn Admirals Arch and the sculpted Remarkable Rocks. Maybe it is being surrounded by this glorious nature that makes this passionate beekeeper from Kangaroo Island such a special and remarkable character.

Stephen grew up on the Australian mainland in New South Wales but moved to Kangaroo Island 13 years ago to pursue his passion for bees. There are only a small number of commercial beekeepers on the island, and while they focus predominantly on producing honey, Stephen has a passion for a special strain of queen bee – the Ligurian Queen Bee – which apparently can only be found in its pure form on the secluded Kangaroo Island, and is believed to have been introduced into Australia by the United States in 1885 from Italy. You will hear just how passionate Stephen is about these unique queens, and you will learn how he is working hard to keep them alive and well in one of Australia’s most spectacular and special nature locations.

Tune in to hear this eccentric and wonderful beekeeper, queen breeder, and honey producer talk about his business, Kangaroo Island Ligurian Queen Bees; about bouncing back from the fires that devastated the Island earlier in the year, including the time is takes for flora to rejuvenate to the stage where bees can get a good feed; about the Ligurian Bee Monument; and many other very niche aspects of beekeeping with the brilliant and quirky Stephen Heatley.

https://www.bensbees.com.au

This week’s fascinating episode of the Bees with Ben podcast features Dr Bridget Goodwin from the

Australian Apitherapy Association (go to apitherapyaustralia.net). For those listeners unfamiliar with

apitherapy, this involves the ‘use of products from the bee hive as medicine’. Dr Goodwin explains

that there is a tendency for people to view bee products as rather innocuous whereas they are in

fact medicinally highly active. The Australian Apitherapy Association website details that apitherapy

has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine for 5,000 years (it was the original form of

acupuncture) and was used by the ancient Egyptians. In the modern day, apitherapy is an accepted

part of the national medical system of many countries. Korea, Turkey, Romania, and Japan all have

established apitherapy practices and even hospitals. So, Australia is perhaps a little behind in this

regard.

Everything that bees make has medicinal applications, and the beneficial properties of bee pollen,

bee venom, royal jelly, propolis and apilarnil (drone larvae) are well established. Unlike some forms

of alternative medicine, apitherapy is backed by some incredible scientific research. For example, in

2020 the young West Australian PhD scholar, Dr Ciara Duffy, made world news with her research on

how bee venom shrinks breast cancer tumours. Earlier in 2016, Sydney University chemist, Professor

Colin Duke, published extensively on the tumour shrinking properties of Kangaroo Island propolis.

Apitherapy may be used to combat cancer and to heal wounds, as well as in dentistry and veterinary

science.

Dr Goodwin tells Ben that the ‘bees found her’ rather by accident just before the Covid lockdowns

when she was asked to work on a patient’s skin cancer. She had been researching Korean skin care

preparations including bee products and decided to give something similar as after care. The results

were astonishing - the patient’s skin healed beautifully with no scarring - so Dr Goodwin was left

pondering what had happened and embarked on further research into apitherapy. This led to

training with international expert Dr Stefan Stangaciu of Romania (who can be found on

apitherapy.com), a thesis on treating basal cell carcinoma with bee products and eventually to the

formation of the Australian Apitherapy Association. Since then, by her own admission Dr Goodwin

has been swept up by the bee community and the Australian Apitherapy Association has established

important links internationally.

Dr Goodwin credits increased interest in apitherapy in part with the increasing failure of antibiotics,

and the World Health Organisation has encouraged member nations to seek alternative

medications. She says bee products have the advantage of being completely natural and non-toxic;

bees naturally seek out medicinal plants and incorporate beneficial compounds into the products

they manufacture. The use of honey in hospitals to assist in healing wounds is widespread and

common knowledge, but for more than 20 years a professor of pediatrics in Egypt has been treating

asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia in children by nebulizing honey. He has also used honey to treat

cataracts.

There is so much absorbing information crammed into this podcast - like the advent of apitourism in

Europe and ‘bee hive air therapy’, which involves merely breathing in air from a hive and has been

shown to be very helpful for people suffering from long Covid and chronic pulmonary disease.

The Australian Apitherapy Association is a voluntary organization and relies on the support of the

public. Membership is only $120, and the 3 rd conference is to be held by Zoom in November. On July

1 and 2 this year, the Association is proud to offer some very special training with none other than

Dr Stefan Stangaciu himself in Hahndorf, South Australia. Visit apitherapyaustralia.net

PODCAST EPISODE 11: Anita Long, Founder of the Tasmanian Junior Beekeeping Group, Tasmania

Dedicated, passionate, friendly, outgoing, patient, encouraging, warm, a wealth of knowledge – my praise for Tassie beekeeper and educator extraordinaire Anita Long is endless. I met Anita three years ago, and she has never ceased to amaze me with her vision and commitment. Anita is the founder of the Tasmanian Junior Beekeeping Group and program; she also runs in-school programs for kids about bees and beekeeping. Throughout my entire career as a beekeeper and educator, I have never met a person so committed to helping children be involved with bees and beekeeping; she has a unique and special way of tailoring complex, often scientific knowledge to suit children, ensuring they understand the information and can use it to carry out safe beekeeping practices. She also generates a very positive educational environment for children where they can thrive, gain confidence, make new friends, and nurture their wellbeing. I have seen all this firsthand, and it is for this long list of reasons that I am thrilled to welcome Anita to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast!

In 2017 Anita started the Tasmanian Junior Beekeeping Group program in Hobart in order to give kids and adolescents the opportunity and space to learn about the importance of bees and set them on their way to becoming independent beekeepers. This is a monumental achievement – over the three years I have known Anita, I have also gotten to know the Tassie Junior Beekeepers and they are an incredible bunch! Every time I head south to visit, I am filled with awe and inspiration at how much these kids know, and in turn, I am always blown away by Anita’s work in helping them every step of the way. The group is thriving, and, in my opinion, the program is the best and only of its kind in the country – I sure wish I had such an experience with bees when I was a little tacker! Anita and her programs are a hugely valuable service to both the environment and the community; what she teaches will have an ongoing generational impact as young environmentally savvy beekeepers grow up to be older ones, and the cycle continues. To top it off, the program reached international success recently when Anita took a junior beekeeper to Slovenia for the 2019 International Centre for Young Beekeepers beekeeping competition!

Tune in to listen to Anita and I chat about the Tasmanian Junior Beekeepers, her educational programs, and her relentless passion for bees!

https://www.facebook.com/Tasmanian-Junior-Beekeepers-1303984119658011

PODCAST EPISODE 10: Lindsay Bourke of Australian Honey Products, Tasmania

I love Tasmania. Over the past few years, I have been lucky to pop across Bass Strait relatively regularly to hang out with my bee-mates in Tassie – young and older, this beekeeping community has a great appreciation and understanding of the island’s unique and precious environment. It sure is a remarkable place, one of the most spectacular on Earth in my opinion, and that’s why I am so pleased to welcome fifth generation Tasmanian beekeeper and honey magician, Lindsay Bourke from Australian Honey Products to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast.

To my knowledge, Lindsay is the beekeeper with the largest number of colonies in Tasmania, having over 4000 hives! That’s epic beekeeping! In Tassie, there is only a 10-week window where the bees can collect nectar to make honey, and the three biggest crops for honey are manuka, leatherwood and clover. Now Lindsay is an award-winning honey producer – for example, in 2018, he won first place in the international prize at the Australian Bee Congress for his leatherwood and light amber honey varieties as well as his honey mead. How does he do it? Commitment and passion that leads to experience and success. You see, Lindsay started Australian Honey Products way back in 1966 with just 200 hives (still a decent number!); he cleverly purchased properties with his income from the business, and now is a leading property owner in Launceston. After a hiatus from beekeeping and honey production for some years, Lindsay returned to the land of liquid gold in 2002 when he made Australian Honey Products an award-winning enterprise, exporting his product to countries such as Korea, Japan, Tahiti, Germany, Jordan and United Kingdom. The company has expanded in many ways, taking on new product lines, which has enabled Lindsay to cleverly diversify his business by adding honey beverages, honey ales and honey meads to the company’s product list. Also, in 2008, Lindsay did something special when he purchased the oldest apiary in Tasmania – the Sheffield Honey Farm, formerly H L Jones & Sons, Barrington Apiary – which was established in 1898.

As a business owner myself, I find Lindsay’s story truly inspiring – his smart business choices, willingness to take risks, and consistent work in a variety of areas makes me think about what I might like to do in the future. I hope that these choices, made over the course of his career, are also interesting for other small business owners listening to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast.

Tune in and listen to Lindsay and I chat about his path, Australian Honey Products, and how different it is keeping bees in Tasmania to keeping on the Australian mainland due to the weather conditions. Also, find out why Lindsay has a love for the Braula fly (controversial I know!), saying that he finds the little devils cute in their own weird way!

PODCAST EPISODE 9: Warm Greetings and Gratitude from Ben

In this episode, I send out my warmest hellos and thank you’s to all the incredible people that make the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast a reality. It’s one thing to have a podcast, but it’s a very different thing for that podcast to be a successful place for the sharing of information and stories; a very different reality and pleasure to make a podcast that builds community in a way that is enriching and pushes past geographical boundaries. As many of you know, a podcast is a project I wanted to pursue for a really long time – for ages, friends, family and colleagues told me, “Ben, you NEED a podcast!”, and I have no doubt this is because I tend to talk…a lot. I love talking, I love sharing. I love people. And I am so thankful for all the listeners who tune in every week to hear me discuss bees with talented and passionate bee-lovers and beekeepers from all over the world. This is especially true in this time of isolation and I feel uplifted to know that I am producing something that might bring a little joy to someone’s day when the times feel tinged with uncertainty. I can see from the number of people listening that that is actually happening! Amazing. Secondly, I want to say an equally big thank you to the incredible and generous contributors to my beekeeping podcast – to the friends, old colleagues and new connections that give up their valuable time to talk to me and the broader Ben’s Bees community about what they do, how they got to where they are today, and how they keep that fire burning. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

On top of much love and thanks, episode 9 features a yarn about what I have been up to in this chilly weather – mainly jarring honey and making hives and frames ready for spring. However, I also just finished an amazing book called ‘Interviews with Beekeepers’ by Steve Donohoe, which I review. It features a wonderful chat with the lovely Richard Noel, who I was lucky enough to meet and hang out with in the north of France a couple of years ago – what a small world it is! This book is a real page turner for any beekeeper and is available online at Book Depository.

Lastly, I wanted to shout out and ask the Ben’s Bees community and listeners of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast to help me make this podcast an even greater success. First, please leave a review of my podcast on iTunes – for people working online (which is many of us at the moment), a positive review really helps more people find out about projects such as mine. Second, please follow on Spotify. And third, I love a friendly text message to +61437077792, so go ahead, send me some love! Let’s make the Ben’s Bees community bigger than ever! Big thanks in advance for your reviews, follows and texts. Love Ben x

https://www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 8: John Edmonds from Edmonds Honey, Geelong, Victoria

John Edmonds is a chatty, enthusiastic, warm-hearted bee bloke and business owner. With a wealth of experience that goes back into his family history, John is noted for saying, "keeping bees is like a jigsaw, get all the little parts of the puzzle together and you will get the finished puzzle.” Owner of Edmonds Honey based in Geelong, John is the only commercial beekeeper I know of in Australia that uses jumbo-sized beehives (similar to the ones used in Europe), and he does mighty well with his set up. For these reasons, I am beyond delighted to welcome John to the BEES WITH BEN podcast for Episode 8!

John’s business, Edmonds Honey, is a family affair that began with John’s father, Murray. Murray Edmonds began beekeeping after the Second World War, when he received his first hive from his uncle. Having spent his holidays around familial bee lovers who kept their own colonies near Tallangatta, he learnt some of the tricks of the trade. John’s father kept bees at Ruby in Gippsland before moving to Geelong where he then kept hives at the You Yangs, Brisbane Ranges, Bannockburn and Balliang. John followed his father’s lead, accompanying him to the hives, and helping out his dad where he could. As the years progressed, and due to some tough circumstances, Murray and John would spend their evenings making bee boxes and frames for money – the silver lining being John starting to keep his own bees! As time rolled along, John purchased beehives, a honey extracting caravan, and the tools he needed; soon after, in 1982, Murray suggested they partner up, and Edmonds Honey was born!

As the business grew, Edmonds Honey began selling to markets, supply distributors and stores. The Edmonds started to rear queen bees for sale, finding the best race of bee for the Southern Victoria region to be the Carniolan – as John described, “They proved to be thrifty, docile, still on comb, productive, disease resistant and excellent wintering.” In 2001, Murray retired. Sadly, soon after, John’s dear friend Leon became ill, and John took over his beekeeping equipment sales. Nowadays, Edmonds Honey has around 500 beehives in the Western half of Victoria for honey production, mainly on forest and farm sites. Edmonds Honey, as described by John, is “produced without chemicals and is a as natural as possible and we endeavour to have straight-line varieties.”

So, tune in to hear John and I chat about John’s journey, his family business, and some incredible anecdotes such as the remarkable ways bees wax was used in the 1940s to lubricate bombs and bullets in World War II! Don’t miss it!

www.bensbees.com.au

PODCAST EPISODE 7: Neil Stuckey from Sticky Stuckey Honey, Gippsland, Victoria

I don’t get jealous much, but I am a tad envious of my dear friend Neil. With a name like Neil Stuckey– yes, like Sticky, Stuckey Honey– what’s not to turn a little green over; it’s the kind of last name keepers dream of, and it seems to me that the gods (or his parents at least) must have known that Neil would be a bee lover and a maker of delicious honey when they went about making and naming him. It’s a pleasure, therefore, to introduce you to this great friend and colleague of mine, a man I have known for some eight years now, to the BEES WITH BEN podcast.

Last week I travelled down to the beautiful Gippsland area of southern Victoria (one of my favourite places in Australia, even on Earth), and recorded this little episode on site, at Neil Stuckey of (you guessed it) Sticky Stuckey Honey’s (perfection!) packing plant at Flynns Creek. Neil is a real inspiration for me. Why? This keeper sells over twelve varieties of honey; selling honey is his main income (which is quite unusual to be honest), and he sells a whopping two tons of honey per week on average. He also has over 100 colonies of his own, which is a love-project, keeping his hives purely because he is passionate about bees. In parallel, Neil pollinates on the side, and his bees do really well when on the canola fields out near his joint! Neil really is a wealth of knowledge and has been a go-to for the local media for some big issues to do with health and honey regulations. Neil’s unapologetic and down-to-earth approach is based on his huge experience, and he sure makes a lot of sense to me!

On a personal note, anyone that knows Neil well knows that red gum honey is his favourite as it reminds him of his childhood. What a sweety-sticky-Stuckey honey Neil is! And his lovely partner Ann is equally as divine – she makes the most amazing country food, including that time when she made me lobster thermidor when I came to visit! What absolute gems. For these reasons, I am thrilled to welcome Neil Stuckey to the BEES WITH BEN podcast where we talk all things bees, southern Victoria and honey varieties with a true-blue local treasure. Tune in! 

PODCAST EPISODE 6: Kirsten Traynor from 2 Million Blossoms

I recently declared my love for podcasting. Despite it being an activity that many people told me I would lap up, I had no clue just how good spreading my love of bees, the environment, cooking and healthy living would feel. Having a podcast has meant that I have been able to share some of my dearest bee-related friends with the world, but this week, I am super excited to share the story of an amazing individual who I have not had the benefit of meeting as yet, but am over the moon to welcome to the BEES WITH BEN podcast: Kirsten Traynor from 2 Million Blossoms!

When I came across 2 Million Blossoms website, I was way more than impressed. Based in the United States, 2 Million Blossoms is a website and quarterly publication which aims “to awaken readers to the vast diversity of pollinating insects and animals. To delight, entertain and name those well-adapted creatures buzzing through our world, because the more we know about pollinators, the better we can provide habitat.” Founded by Kirsten, this quarterly magazine features short and long form articles that explore the myriad of ways that bees, birds, butterflies and bats bring life and healing to our planet. As mentioned, the publication will be available in print for your enjoyment, and 2 Million Blossoms also offers a free e-newsletter on their website.

Chatting to Kirsten was a real dream. Incredibly articulate and well-versed on everything bee-related, she describes that – despite following her love of words via an English major at university – she realised that bees where her true passion. This led her to complete a PhD in biology, where she studied the impact of pesticides and varroa on bee colony health. Incredible! She also combined her love of bees with her love of writing when she edited for the American Bee Journal and Bee World. Not to mention, she is also the author of Two Million Blossoms: Discovering the Medicinal Benefits of Honey! These days, Kirsten is the editor and founder of 2 Million Blossoms, and a true force in the bee world, and for all of the amazing reasons mentioned, I am delighted to introduce you to her in Episode 6 where we chat about Kirsten’s publishing projects, the healing properties of honey, varroa mites and the effects of chemicals on bees, especially the queen’s ability to lay eggs. Don’t miss this one! Tune in https://anchor.fm/ben-the-beeman https://www.2millionblossoms.com

PODCAST EPISODE 5: Milan Wiercx van Rhijn, Bees for Development, France

A few years ago, I visited one of my favourite countries in the whole world, France. During my stay, I was lucky enough to be well looked after by my now dear friend, Milan Wiercx van Rhijn, and his lovely partner, Kim. Spoilt with handmade ice-cream (thanks Kim!) and wonderful conversation about how bees are doing the most incredible job to take care of the planet (in more ways than just pollination), my stay with Milan really solidified our friendship and taught me a great deal about the amazing organisation he works for. Since that time in France, we met again at APIMONDIA in Montreal in 2019 and have stayed in regular contact ever since! For that reason, I am delighted to welcome my good friend Milan to the BEES WITH BEN podcast!

Tune into Episode 5 to hear Milan and I chat about the wonderful work happening right now in the developing world – work that combines a number of incredibly dedicated and compassionate individuals, and, of course, a huge number of equally delightful bees! Bees for Development is an organisation that promotes beekeeping to combat poverty and help build sustainable, resilient livelihoods for the people that need it most. When I thought bees couldn’t do more for the good of humanity, I am happily proven wrong.

Founded in 1993, Bees for Development was the first organisation to fully understand and acknowledge the reasons why beekeeping can be such a useful tool for relieving poverty while helping to retain biodiversity. Based in Monmouth in the UK, the organisation has worked with over 50 countries across the world to help people generate an essential income to feed their families and provide basic needs: these projects are happening in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana and Uganda (to name just a few locations). The company shows local farmers how to make and maintain low-cost beehives so that people can harvest and sell their own honey, turning natural and renewable resources into a vital livelihood that (if that wasn’t enough!) helps the environment at the same time! The company also carries out important bee-work for the World Bank, United Nations FAO and IFAD, EU, DFID, USAID and other international organisations.

Alongside all this remarkable work, Bees for Development has a generous and ethical philosophy to sharing information (one that I find vital and sometimes unusual in this day and age). They provide free information to beekeepers in poor countries, with publications – Bees for Development Journal and Teaching and Learning Boxes-- sent to readers in 130 nations. These documents share knowledge and advice, and the organisation’s website includes an open-access information portal that is the largest of its kind in the world! Considering the incredibly difficult state of affairs right now across the globe, there hasn’t been a better time to support a more worthy organisation.

PODCAST EPISODE 4: Manuel Hempel of Vindfløy Bybigård in Bergen, Norway

As you will find out, the last time I saw Manuel Hempel was in a karaoke bar In Canada. Obviously, my stellar singing voice made a great impression on the young, 34-year-old beekeeper from Norway, as we have stayed in touch ever since. To be serious, I met this incredibly passionate fellow when we were both at the APIMONDIA beekeeping and honey production conference in Montreal, Canada, and was struck by his story. Passionate about all things bee-related, Manuel is a keeper in a part of the world where the climate and terrain is tough – the city of Bergen on the southwestern coast of Norway. Although Bergen is not as wild as the mountainous areas of Norway, and the sea makes the climate milder and therefore suitable for bees, I am in awe of this young beekeeper, his perspective and story.

Vindfløy Bybigård is a beekeeping project in downtown Bergen, named after the Vindfloy (wind transducer) on Mt. Floyen where Manuel’s first hives were situated in 2013. Manuel run beehives from backyards to rooftops in different neighbourhoods all around the town of Bergen, seeking to “engage with the public and local institutions to create awareness for the city as an urban ecosystem, promote biodiversity and support local bees and pollinators by contributing to a more insect friendly environment in town”. What a legend! He is also very passionate about education, running workshops and giving presentations on bees at different events. In turn, Manuel and his bees have been involved with amazing groups such as Spire Bergen, ALF (Integration Center), SLowfood Bergen and the Bergen International School.

I am thrilled to introduce Manuel to the Ben’s Bees Community in Episode 4 of the BEES WITH BEN podcast. Listen in to hear us chat about the honey cooperative called HONNINGCENTRALEN (which translates to Honey Centre) – an awesome initiative where the price of honey is fixed so that all beekeepers can sell their honey for a good price and maintain its high quality. Food for thought until I next meet up with Manuel at the 2021 APIMONDIA in Ufa, Russia, for more chats on bees and hopefully a little karaoke ;) Tune in!  https://anchor.fm/ben-the-beeman

PODCAST EPISODE 3: Nicholas Bishop from the London Honey Company

I love to travel. And with lockdown restrictions meaning many of us have very itchy feet right now, I have been thinking that the perfect antidote to cabin fever is the BEES WITH BEN podcast! What a better way to keep meeting beekeepers, honey slurpers, nature lovers, and apiarists from all over the world than a virtual hang out with yours truly! And episode three is a real cracker!

As many of you know, I spent a month or two travelling in Europe a couple of years ago now, and it was a divine experience. With the purpose of seeking out small honey producers in a number of beautiful locations across the European continent, I was lucky enough to bask in the northern sun, sip wine, eat delicious homemade meals, get dirty in the fields with some amazing keepers, buy and try local honey from farmers markets, and met many cute Euro-bees as they buzzed around in lavender fields. It was some kind of heaven, that’s for sure.  And it was on this trip that I was lucky enough to meet the passionate Nicholas Bishop from the London Honey Company, who I am delighted to introduce to the Ben’s Bees community in Episode Three of the BEES WITH BEN podcast.

Nicholas Bishop is the Commercial Director of the London Honey Company, who are purveyors of the finest honey, honeycomb, handmade 100% beeswax candles and 100% British mead based in Voyager Business Park, Spa Road, London. With over 20 years of beekeeping experience, the London Honey Company stocks their delicious and high-quality produce in shops, food halls, restaurants and hotels across the UK, as well as selling from their gorgeous online store. A much-loved company, chefs and foodies are head over heels with their produce, as are some of the finest institutions in Britian – in fact, the London Honey Company are the proud beekeepers of the Tate Galleries in London and the Victoria and Albert Museum! Incredible stuff!

When I met Nicholas in Europe a few years ago, I was struck by his passion and work ethic, yet despite being super busy, he generously gave up his time to give me a wonderful tour of the London Honey Company facility. This space was new then, as they had recently moved in due to a huge growth in their business; things haven’t changed, and the London Honey Company has forged ahead due to their sophisticated and dedicated beekeeping work and honey production skills. It wasn’t until last year that we met again, as we were both giving talks at the Apimondia conference in Montreal, Canada. A wealth of knowledge and a lovely bloke, I was thrilled when Nicholas said he’d be more than happy to chat with me about honey types in London and the UK, in particular heather honey varieties. Tune in!

PODCAST EPISODE 2: Manuka King Rob Waddell from Grand Ridge Nursery

It was three years ago that I met nursey owner, bee lover and plant genius Rob Waddell at the Coonara Beekeeping Club in Ferntree Gully, Victoria. As plants are the key to making bees happy, I was struck with Rob’s incredible wealth of knowledge, especially when it came to Australian natives and the magical Manuka tree responsible for the medicinal variety of honey that we should all be tucking into as wintertime hits. For this reason, I am beyond delighted to introduce Rob to the BEES WITH BEN podcast!

Rob Waddell is a passionate bloke, a generous soul and a lover of nature. He is the owner of Grand Ridge Nursery at Seaview which stocks an incredible selection of native plants and provides a wonderful tree planting and propagations service. With an incredible amount of knowledge under his belt, Rob is the perfect guy to help you with your native plant needs, and a local go-to for tips and information on the remarkable Manuka plant. And if there is one thing that Rob and I have in common, it’s a love of Manuka. And so much of what I know about Manuka, I learnt from Rob! In fact, I recently planted 100 trees myself, based on his advice, on my family’s property in the Yarra Valley, and I am dying to see them grow over the years.

As Rob’s website states, the Chinese proverb tells, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now". So why is right now the (second) best time to plant your Manuka trees? Manuka partnered with hungry bees makes the kind of magical honey that not only tastes great but has countless antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant medicinal benefits and qualities. Manuka honey is produced by bees that pollinate the flowers of the manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium) which is native to New Zealand and south-eastern Australia. So, what makes manuka honey special? Manuka’s unique trait is its high antibacterial quality – its active ingredient, Methylglyoxal, is most likely responsible for these effects, and this honey variety has traditionally been used for wound healing, preventing tooth decay, soothing sore throats, and improving digestive issues. Strong stuff!

So, with the chills of winter setting in, now is the perfect time to listen in on Episode 2 of the BEES WITH BEN podcast as I chat with Rob about the countless benefits of magical Manuka honey, the best way to plant Manuka trees, the ins and outs of running a nursery, and why native plants should hold a special place in all Australians hearts.

This week’s episode of the Bees with Ben podcast features Michael Colvin of ‘High Meadow’.

Michael was born and bred in Guyra, on top of the Great Dividing Range in the New England region

of NSW. He was raised on a fine wool property near the small town of Wards Mistake, and has a

passion for regenerative agriculture, having managed organic beef and sheep enterprises. Michael

also loves his bees and is the President of the New England branch of the Amateur Beekeepers

Association. For the last 12 years, Michael has been employed in a full-time capacity as a fencer;

about 6 months ago he purchased a small excavator in order to diversify somewhat. About 3 or 4

years back, he also started up a small business selling local ‘cold country’ honey. High Meadow is

actually the family farm situated near Guyra at an altitude of 1300 m above sea level, which results

in mild summers and cool winters. The business produces raw, unfiltered honey from chemical free

hives located on selected sites across the Northern Tablelands from Dorrigo in the east to Inverell in

the west. The High Meadow website, highmeadow.com.au, explains that the bees are only kept on

sites where the land managers practice chemical free, regenerative agriculture. High Meadow honey

is harvested during a limited season and is said to have a truly local flavour and pollen profile. It is

cold extracted, raw and unfiltered to preserve the delicate aromas and enzymes, as well as the

natural yeasts and pollens.

Michael describes his location as being ‘a little north of halfway between Brisbane and Sydney and

about two-and-a-half hours’ inland from Coffs Harbour’. He says he currently maintains just under

50 hives and had an awesome season last spring and summer, with a yield of about 16 kg per 8

frames. Guyra is notable for having the highest caravan park in Australia, and routinely gets a couple

of inches of snow in winter. Michael says it’s not easy to keep bees in this area because there is such

a short warm season; from Christmas onwards this necessitates making sure the bees have enough

supplies to get them through to next spring. Once the queen starts laying in spring, the advent of a

cold snap can see a hive run through a full box of honey within 2-3 weeks. The bulk of Michael’s bees

are therefore now located at a site which is around 6 degrees warmer, where they cruise through

winter without a problem.

Michael tells us that he has not been directly impacted by the varroa mite incursion in northern

NSW; in the first couple of weeks after the mites were identified he travelled to Newcastle and spent

4 days working as a volunteer inspecting hives. He says he had a great time and met a lot of

interesting people. He also relays that to date it is estimated that just over 2,100 volunteers have

contributed the equivalent of 47 years of hours worked towards controlling the outbreak. Michael is

quietly confident that we will eventually eliminate the mites; he’s got a ‘good feeling that we will get

round it’.

When asked about his aspirations for the business, Michael replies that he would like to build it up

to the point where he no longer has to fence; he says that he doesn’t want to go too quick, as he

doesn’t want to sell bulk honey if possible. He and his partner Alison, a Research Fellow at the

University of New England, do everything themselves (Alison loves the business side of the

enterprise) and they are gaining some good traction locally. Last weekend they went to Moree to

attend a festival, where they had a great reception and picked up another stockist for their products.

In fact, the highmeadow.com.au website lists a dozen stockists across the New England region.

Runny honey, creamed honey, honeycomb and pure beeswax may also be purchased online from

the website.

https://www.highmeadow.com.au/

PODCAST EPISODE 1: Simeon Valkenburg from Valkenburg Apiaries

It doesn’t happen every day, so when you meet someone that you know will be both a friend and mentor, it’s a glorious moment. That was the exact feeling I had when I first met Simeon Valkenburgback in 2016, making Episode One of the BEES WITH BEN podcast super special.

It was early springtime in Townsville, and Simeon and his brother Paul were part of a group of us – six beekeepers in total – who got together and volunteered to help with the Asian Honeybee varroa mite incursion that happened there at that time. I soon realised I was amongst very incredible company, and our experience working together in the far north was eye-opening, bonding and inspiring. The Valkenburg brothers are beekeepers based in South Australia. Together they run Valkenburg Apiaries, as well as invaluable initiatives such as the Beekeepers Field Day in Renmark, which educates about the vital connection between bees and almond production. Incredibly passionate, dedicated, politically engaged, and hardworking, Simeon and Paul are easily some, if not the, best commercial beekeepers I know in Australia.

As Simeon describes, a commercial beekeeping venture needs to be built on both passion and integrity, no matter how your business grows: “Together with my brother Paul, I have been working for a number of years building our beekeeping business. We manage over a thousand hives, which is generally considered a medium sized operation by South Australian standards. We derive most of our turnover from bulk honey production. When it comes to managing an apiary business, it is the bee husbandry part which particularly captures my interest. In our opinion, the keynote to commercial success in the beekeeping industry is contained in the old adage, ‘If you look after your bees, they will look after you’.” With a focus on positive communication and reciprocated benefits with land holders in their area, the brothers honey production and pollination services have earnt them a stellar reputation – they understand the importance of a mutually beneficial relationship with other farmers and community members, and this integrity shines through in their work on so many levels.

Since we first met in far north Queensland, I have had a great deal to do with Simeon at conventions and events around the country.  For this reason, it is a total pleasure to be able to introduce you, the Ben’s Bees community, to Simeon himself, as we chat about Valkenburg Apiaries, bee nutrition, and the highlights and challenges of running a commercial beekeeping business in Australia. Tune in!

For any of you that know me, I love a good yarn. One the of the best things about my job is getting out and about with local people, sharing the knowledge I have about bees, the environment, produce, gardening and healthy living.

And I have lots of experience getting on my soapbox! For years now, I have been a representative at local and international conferences. I have appeared on popular TV and radio programs (including The Project, ABC radio, Network Ten News, and Channel Nine’s reality show, Dream Job). I have launched educational programs and books (such as, children’s publication, The Bee Book, promoted on Channel Seven, Tasmania). I have mentored new beekeepers in their practice, one-on-one, in person and online. I have also been an active teacher in the community, travelling around from school to school, town hall to town hall, community centre to community centre. My sell-out courses have proved to be great fun and very popular, as they are driven by my passion for spreading the word about bees, beekeeping, sustainability and local produce. And, (drumroll) I have a podcast on the way! I understand the importance of being entertaining, welcoming my guests, making everyone feel involved, and passing on the love of bees in a way that is accessible and promotes positive change!

www.bensbees.com.au

Ben’s special guest this week on the Bees with Ben podcast is Stuart Sutherland from Electrotherm

Pty Ltd. Electrotherm is an Australian manufacturer of specialized industrial heater jackets and pads.

The company was established in 1991 with the aim of introducing energy efficiency to the traditional

industrial heating market; their customer base includes industry, government, defence and research.

And these unique heater jackets have an important application in the honey industry. As Ben

explains, there is nothing more infuriating than when your honey stocks turn brick-hard in winter.

Stuart tells us that he originally hails from south Wales (not New South Wales) and started his

working life as a carpenter, working in joinery workshops across the UK producing stairs, windows

and period mouldings before moving into shopfitting and a stint building boats in South Africa.

Electrotherm was started by Mike Bell, an electrical engineer, who Stuart describes as a very

inventive man, and Stuart took over the business about a year ago. Whereas many heating products

utilize an element that is essentially a curly wire, Electrotherm’s products employ a very different

carbon graphite element that looks like a black cloth and was originally developed to prevent icing in

the wingtips of aircraft (it is also used as subfloor heating for houses in Europe). This has great

advantages over the resistance wire format.

Electrotherm is very thorough in its product development and employs stringent quality control The

heater jackets are made from a very tough PVC-coated fabric - they must be able to tolerate

considerable heat as the jackets can get up to 90 o C. Based in Seaford, near Melbourne.

Electrotherm’s products are popular within the honey industry, as well as industrial chemistry,

where heater jackets are commonly used to ensure glues, epoxy resins, polyurethanes and the like

do not get too viscous in colder weather. Another of their customers uses heater jackets on skin

creams and pharmaceuticals so that they do not become hard and difficult to work with.

Electrotherm are always looking to improve and expand their product range, and are happy to take

on custom work. Stuart will also be displaying his products at the Victorian Apiarists’ Association

annual conference in Bendigo from 5-7 July. He views this as a great opportunity to meet people and

to listen to his customers, which in turn will help to refine his product.

And Stuart also has a very special offer for all of Ben’s listeners, but you will need to wait for the end

of the podcast to hear it!

For more information about Electrotherm’s innovative products visit: electrotherm.com.au

And to find out more about the 122 nd VAA Annual Conference go to:

https://www.vicbeekeepers.com.au/page-18116

https://electrotherm.com.au/

This week’s guest on the Bees with Ben podcast is Helen Charles from friendswithhoney.com.au.

Helen is passionate about educating people about bees and has recently been working on a

community project to encourage bees in a permaculture garden. She even roped in the local men’s

shed in Brighton East to help construct the hives, and apparently the men had a ball!

Helen explains that she has always been interested in nature and was introduced to bees by family

members in Canada who run a commercial beekeeping enterprise. She was also into gardening and

noticed a lot of bees in her area; she joined a local beekeeping club, got some bees from Ben, and

hasn’t looked back! She says she loves the fact that she is always learning.

Helen’s website, friendswithhoney.com.au, extols the principals of biodiversity, sustainability,

pollination and citizen science, and is devoted to developing and delivering programs, experiences,

events and workshops that link these themes with beekeeping. She explains to Ben that citizen

science is all about offering the power of science to people and allowing members of the public to

make a contribution. She has been working on an app called inaturalist that allows the user to

upload data, which is then analyzed and added to the Atlas of Living Australia, an important tool for

scientists and land managers. New species have even been identified through this process.

Helen obviously loves sharing her knowledge of bees; she is also a certified permaculture designer

and the list of programs and events on the friendswithhoney website include a course on basic

beekeeping and a series of workshops entitled the ‘Powerful Pollinators Program’. A ‘Bee for

biodiversity workshop’ examines the differences between native bees and introduced bees, as well

as delving into the history of the honey bee in Australia and detailing how to support our hard-

working pollinators.

Along with her hives in suburbia, Helen also has an apiary in regional Victoria at Amphitheatre in the

Goldfields region, which is located on rural conservation land. Unlike urban Melbourne, where there

is a relatively constant supply of floral resources, Helen says this presents somewhat of a challenge

in rural Victoria, and she has been busy planting native species of vegetation that will create

resources for the bees to forage on throughout the year, her main goal being pollination rather than

honey production.

Finally, Helen and her partner Ben - who is an award-winning country singer and musician – have a

very special event planned for World Bee Day on May 20. They have been composing some cool

songs about bees and are performing a special kids’ show at the Arcobar at 10:00am (located at 8

Arco Lane, Heatherton). This free special event should be a blast, so get along and have a waggle

dance with Helen and Ben! Further details at the www.friendswithhoney.com.au website or at arcobar.com.au

Ben is back, with a new edition of the Bees with Ben podcast! A scheduled break of around 2 weeks

quickly turned into over 3 months, with a hectic season that really finished with a bang. In fact, Ben has

just pulled the last boxes of honey from his hives, with a fantastic season of mealy stringybark

(Eucalyptus cephalocarpa) in the Yarra Valley. Stringybark honey is relatively slow to crystallize, and

Ben has a good income stream selling honeycomb. Much of the demand is in late winter and early

spring (when people start to get hay fever), so to avoid crystallization during storage (crystallized

honey has a sandy texture and is not as attractive on the shelf), Ben freezes the honeycomb, which

does not denature the product and results in perfect honeycomb once thawed.

Ben has also recently been busy controlling European wasps around Melbourne. These pests not

only have a painful sting but can give the local honey bees a hard time. Fortunately, they have a very

limited foraging radius - only about 150 metres - so it is not usually too difficult to locate their nest

sites. European wasps are extremely invasive, and a colony is capable of producing around 50

queens. Plus, they love warm weather, and with Australia heading into a new phase of el nino, it’s

likely to be a very busy season ahead.

After 3 years of wet and windy la nina weather patterns, Australian beekeepers are all too familiar

with the need to provide supplementary food to bees, so it is particularly appropriate that Ben’s

guest in this episode is George from Mineral Bee (www.mineralbee.com.au). Although now a

resident of Sydney’s northern beaches, George originally hails from Limerick in Ireland; he

remembers being fascinated by his neighbour’s beekeeping activities, and acquired his first hive at

the age of 8. He explains that in Ireland, honey bees hibernate during winter, and the hives are

constructed somewhat differently to cope with the colder environment. Irish bees are adapted to

the climate and are quite black and a little more aggressive than Australian honey bees. In Ireland it

is impossible to avoid supplementary feeding, but sugar syrup alone has none of the minerals and

trace elements present in honey or pollen; Mineral Bee was born out of a desire to create an

additive which would make sugar syrup equivalent to honey. Rather than use synthetic ingredients,

an entirely natural and organic product was developed using minerals and trace elements sourced

from seawater. These are carefully extracted by a process which avoids denaturing or degrading

these essential substances. The result is a product which, when added to sugar syrup or drinking

water at the rate of 10ml per litre, mirrors the mineral and trace element content of pollen and

honey. And the bees love it!

Its been over 3 months since the last Bees With Ben Podcast!

Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we have some incredible guests lined up!

Earlier this year NSW DPI detected Varroa mite in surveillance hives at the Port of Newcastle, and then subsequent areas following more hive inspections. NSW DPI then released the Biosecurity (Varroa mite) Emergency Order 2022 in an attempt to eradicate this parasite that has the potential to seriously impact the Australian Honeybee Industry. This week we chat to Ben Moore from Ben's Bees (our resident bee guru) to get the latest updates on the Varroa Mite outbreak status, we chat about the biology of this parasite, the lead up to where we are now, the future of our honey bee industry but more importantly what our obligations as pest managers are. What can and should we be doing to prevent the spread of Varroa Mite. This episode is a must listen for any pest manager that deals with bees and especially if you are based in NSW! Familiarise yourself with the Varroa mite emergency zone map and get the latest updates here- https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/emergencies/biosecurity/current-situation/varroa-mite-emergency-response

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/pestie-profiles/id1586241937

Episode 107 of the Bees with Ben podcast is likely to be the last for two or three months, as spring

has sprung and Ben is busy contending with his usual hectic workload at this time of year.

This episode is also a little different, as Ben gives us some insight into his journey thus far and offers

some advice for those possibly thinking of setting up a beekeeping business. First of all, it’s hard

work; Ben tells us that his next day off is likely to be Christmas Day, so you have to love the bees to

be in this business.

Back to beginnings. As a chef in the 90s, at one stage Ben used to work 90 hours per week, with two

full-time jobs. Perhaps that was partly responsible for reinforcing the work ethic that is required as a

beekeeper, but working nights with a young family certainly wasn’t ideal. Ben had always been

interested in strange critters, and in 2004 he was offered a job at Amazing Amazon, a shop in

Melbourne that deals in unusual pets like reptiles, fish, spiders and the like. Four days into cleaning

fish tanks, Ben was wondering why he had swapped cooking for celebrities for the bottom of the

barrel in a pet shop, but he persevered and eventually became the manager of the business. In his

downtime he ran a few bee hives, but by about 2008 he was getting right into bees, catching a few

swarms, selling bees, etc. The bees started to take over, and Ben went from five days a week at the

pet shop to four and then three. Then one day about six years ago, the owner of the shop wanted to

talk to Ben about the wages bill, and Ben told him that he simply couldn’t do it anymore. And with

that he became a full-time beekeeper.

Initially, things went well; the income from removing swarms was good, and Ben also started

eradicating European wasps (people were often calling him for bees mistakenly, when they had a

wasp infestation), and this necessitated accreditation with a pest control license. Incidentally, Ben

believes it is important to charge for removal of swarms; it is, after all, a service which requires

appropriate expertise and equipment, plus insurance, certifications, etc., all of which cost money.

Anyway, after about Easter, things started to go quiet. Ben had been pouring money back into his

business but was forced to max out a $40,000 credit card limit to make ends meet. Fortunately, soon

it was September again, and along came some lucrative pollination jobs. Ben points to the

importance of diversification, of finding your niche and of working with people and finding people

you can work with - even if they are from completely different industries.

He also learnt a valuable lesson from the only bad review he has received. One day, when it was hot

and the bees were stinging, a man rang Ben’s mobile for a chat. Ben made the mistake of answering

the phone but his manner was (perhaps understandably) a little short and sweet. Consequently, now

Ben doesn’t answer the phone unless he can give the caller his full and undivided attention.

Ben has some valuable tips about marketing and branding too; he says that every post he puts on

social media is evaluated by three criteria; it must entertain, educate and inspire. He cautions

against undervaluing both yourself and the bees (“If you’re too cheap, it’s a race to the bottom”) and

underscores the value of excellent service, and of staying positive (“Don’t think negative

thoughts….be excited, because the job we do as a beekeeper is a marvelous job”).

Ben says that he is still learning and evolving, and reveals that he once even went to comedy school

in an effort to make his interactions with customers more memorable!

www.bensbees.com.au

The Story of Gavin's Apiaries with Liam Gavin In the lush, sub-tropical landscape of Northland, New Zealand, lies a testament to tradition, resilience, and a deep-rooted passion for beekeeping. Gavin's Apiaries, a fourth-generation family business, traces its origins back to 1912 when James John Gavin embarked on a journey that would shape the family's legacy for generations to come. In a recent episode of the Bees With Ben podcast, host Ben caught up with Liam Gavin, a member of the Gavin family and a torchbearer of their storied beekeeping tradition. Liam's connection to the land and the bees runs deep, as he shared insights into the rich history and enduring values that define Gavin's Apiaries today. The journey began over a century ago when James John Gavin rode his horse through the picturesque Mangakahia Valley, chasing a swarm of bees—a humble yet pivotal moment that marked the inception of Gavin's Apiaries. Fast forward to the present day, and the family's commitment to honey production and community engagement remains unwavering.

Beyond the buzzing hives and golden honey, Liam reflects on the pride and philosophy that underpin the family business. At Gavin's Apiaries, it's not just about honey production; it's about fostering a sense of community and stewardship for the environment. Through sustainable beekeeping practices and a genuine connection to the land, the Gavins strive to leave a positive impact on their surroundings.

Through their unwavering commitment to excellence and their deep-seated values, the Gavins continue to inspire beekeepers and enthusiasts alike, both locally and beyond. In a world that often moves at breakneck speed, the story of Gavin's Apiaries serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of tradition, resilience, and the profound connection between humanity and the natural world. As Liam Gavin aptly concludes, "In the end, it's not just about the honey—it's about the journey, the legacy, and the enduring passion that fuels our love for beekeeping." Tune in to the Bees With Ben podcast to hear more captivating stories from the world of beekeeping and beyond, as we continue to celebrate the remarkable individuals and traditions that make our world a sweeter place to be

https://www.instagram.com/gavinshoney_/

Ben Moore is one of the top bee keepers in Australia and has been on the podcast before on episode 16, discussing homelessness, prior careers, police raids and his passion for all things Bees.  Given the incredibly serious invasive pest new to Australian shores, the Varroa Mite, we chat what is being done to combat the pest and the impact on the food production if we don’t. Plus we talk why some people are risk adverse when it comes to following their passion.

Check Out The Podcast, One Moment Please 

We all have fear. Some are consumed by it, others overcome it. Our inspiring guests take a moment to share their stories of how they have overcome adversity and achieved success. We hope it motivates you to overcome your fears and achieve your full potential.

The guests are varied. Some of which include those leaving the corporate world to become entrepreneurs to ex-prison officers, army parachuting accident survivor turned YouTuber to ex-spies and a Victoria Cross awarded Army officer just to list a few.

Enjoy!

https://onemomentpleasepodcast.com

https://www.facebook.com/OneMomentPleasePodcast

https://www.instagram.com/onemomentpleasepodcast/?hl=en

When we last met Kristofer Fricke, some months back in episode 94 of the Bees with Ben podcast,

he was preparing to head to Africa to work on a couple of beekeeping aid projects. Well, he has just

got back, and Ben couldn’t wait to hear what he has been up to.

This episode of the podcast is also being broadcast on YouTube, and Kris is aptly dressed for the

occasion in what he describes as a ‘Ghanaian smock’. Ghana was in fact his first stop, where he was

to spend three weeks working on a project funded by the German government, in partnership with

QSI, a major European food testing laboratory. The objective was to make Ghanaian honey fit for

export, and the enterprise was rather unimaginatively entitled the ‘Make Ghanaian honey fit for

export project’!

The problem was that although Ghana has lots of beekeepers that are reasonably proficient at their

craft, the honey simply doesn’t measure up to international standards. Kris stayed a week in three

different locations talking to groups of 50-70 trainees about the best practices for harvesting honey,

as well as common problems associated with the top bar hives, which are universally used by

Ghanaian beekeepers.

Quality issues are created by the common practice of harvesting honey at night - primarily because

the bees are less aggressive. However, in the dark, it is easy for beekeepers to contaminate the

honey with brood, or uncapped honey. Kris says that he saw a lot of honey that was cloudy -

indicating the presence of brood - and tasted some which was part fermented, or unripe. Testing

also indicated the presence of significant amounts of smoke in the honey, but Kris doesn’t believe

this is attributable to the use of smokers. It is more likely to be due to the traditional method of

lighting a fire under the hive to chase the bees out before harvesting honey.

Undaunted by the beekeepers’ reluctance to work their hives during daylight hours, on the first day

Kris inspected some hive in which the bees did indeed seem quite agitated. On the second day, three

hives were opened. The first two were reasonably easy to manage, but the third quickly became

very aggressive. Kris admits to perhaps becoming a little complacent due to his previous experiences

in Africa, and was unwilling to admit defeat due to the adverse effect this would have on the local

beekeepers, so he attempted to power through, but was soon forced to abort as people within a

200-metre radius were being harassed by the bees. It took 45 minutes for the enraged insects to

calm down!

A similar incident happened the next day, at a different location. Invoking the mantra that ‘I do not

run from bees’ Kris was attempting to beat a dignified retreat from an angry hive, but soon his face

became covered in bees, and he was forced to run for it.

These events compelled Kris to admit that Ghanaian bees were far more aggressive than those that

he had experienced in other parts of Africa. Consequently, after that, hives were generally opened in

the last hour of daylight, and not around people working, and there were no further problems. The

local beekeepers were convinced that their bees would be more docile in the early morning, so they

also ended up opening a lot of hives between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m. and this worked quite well.

Episode 104 of the Bees with Ben podcast documents the extraordinary progress of a ground-

breaking Australian small business. Against all odds, they launched their product just a week before

Covid restrictions were announced in February 2020. John McArthur, of Banana Feeds Australia, says

that he and his business partner, Robert Borsato (who is a third generation banana grower), were

sick of seeing high quality bananas being downgraded because of minor skin blemishes, or the wrong

shape, and decided to look further afield to find uses for this product. The Banana Feeds Australia

website notes that for centuries, bananas have played a vital role in the healthy diet of both humans

and animals alike and have been used by many elite athletes to help achieve peak performance. The

business owners decided initially to focus on the possibilities of an equine supplement, but research

was hard to find. Bananas had been shown to reduce the incidence of ulcers in rats, and to assist to

prevent mastitis in dairy cattle, but this was unlikely to convince racehorse owners to try a product

made entirely from dehydrated green bananas.

So a research project was undertaken with the University of Adelaide, in an effort to identify and

analyse the beneficial components of green bananas. In contrast to ripe bananas, which have a

much higher sugar content, green bananas are high in carbohydrates. They also contain beneficial

polyphenols and flavonoids, along with dopamine and serotonin, all of which are chiefly found in the

peel.

Banana Feeds Australia then constructed a state of the art factory in Far North Queensland, where

whole green bananas (including peel, stems and flower ends) are washed, sliced, dried (raw bananas

consist of 85-90% water) and then milled in a simple and safe process that produces a product that

can easily be shipped anywhere in the world.

B-Complete, the initial equine supplement, was launched with very little marketing and promotion;

as John says, when you have a world-first product it’s ‘pretty important’ to be able to travel, in order

to tell people about it, and this was impossible at the time. Nevertheless, B-Complete took off,

thanks to some fantastic results and endorsements - a Blue Diamond Stakes winner was among the

horses to have used the product. It wasn’t long before dog breeders and greyhound trainers started

to purchase the equine supplement, and this soon resulted in B-Complete for dogs, which is milled

to a somewhat finer consistency.

So how, exactly, is this relevant to bees? Well, Banana Feeds Australia received a telephone call from

a well-known apiary in Tasmania, which had experienced some beneficial effects using green

bananas in the bottom of hives (although no-one quite understood why), with a request to provide

their product in a powdered form. Trials of the green banana powder were overwhelmingly positive;

the apiary used the product on some of their weakest hives, and these subsequently became their

best performing colonies. General colony health and strength was enhanced, and chalkbrood

eliminated. Similar feedback came from other beekeepers, and so 'Bee-Complete’ powdered

supplement became a reality. The product may be sprinkled over the top of frames or used for open

feeding. Many apiarists choose to use it as a supplement in the off season, in order to strengthen

colonies, but it has proved effective all year round.

https://www.bananafeedsaustralia.com/

Antony Adare from Natural Life is our featured guest on episode 103 of the Bees with Ben podcast.

Almost 30 years ago the chance discovery of a native beehive in a Sydney backyard developed into a

daily source of fascination for Antony, who soon established a hobby hive for himself. Then in 1994,

a Japanese scientist published a paper extolling the anticarcinogenic properties of propolis, which

resulted in booming sales in Japan, where a small bottle of propolis could sell for up to $800. Having

used propolis to treat cuts, abrasions and sore throats in his own family, Antony knew that it

worked. He began to talk to people in the industry, and eventually launched his first two products, a

propolis and manuka honey spray and a propolis tincture; so in 1996 the Natural Life brand was

born. Antony managed to get those first two products onto shelves in Sydney airport, which proved

a masterstroke, as a single Japanese tourist would often purchase all the stock, meaning there was

little need for marketing!

Over time, new products were added including royal jelly capsules, propolis candy and toothpaste

and Australian manuka honey. Natural Life now sells to Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE, Vietnam and

Kuwait, as well as to Japan, China and Korea. There is also a solid customer base in the Middle East,

and prior to the onset of Covid, Natural Life’s products were in all duty free stores and Asian markets

around Australia. Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulations are amongst the

toughest in the world, and Natural Life works continuously with manufacturers, suppliers and

regulators to ensure the products remain of premium quality and potent activity.

But it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Retail closures due to Covid resulted in a 40% drop in sales.

Antony recalls that the whole travel industry ‘evaporated’ meaning that he had to push the online

side of the business. And although the airports have reopened, we are yet to see a real influx of

Asian tourists, who traditionally drive sales. Furthermore, Antony says whereas propolis is big in

pharmacies across Europe, he is banging his head against a wall trying to get propolis products into

health food stores in this country. Consequently, he has taken it upon himself to educate Australians

about the benefits of propolis, in the hope of generating a significant domestic market. Antony says

he would love see propolis in more stores, as this would increase demand, which in turn would

provide extra income for beekeepers. Just before Covid struck, Natural Life released their ‘Wild Bee’

skin care range, which is 100% Australian produced, and combines royal jelly, propolis from native

stingless bees, Australian manuka honey and botanicals collected by Aboriginal communities in the

Northern Territory.

www.naturallife.com.au

Originally from Brazil, Karen Santos was an undergraduate biology student when she volunteered for

an intern project working with beekeepers and palynologists (who specialise in the study of pollen)

to examine the diet of honey bees on the Brazilian savannah in 2012. This triggered a fascination

with bees and led to further research, particularly in the different aspects of pollen ecology. In 2019,

Karen moved to Australia to continue her research as a PhD candidate at the University of New

England; her main interests involve understanding the diverse effects of large crops on native

vegetation, together with the behaviour and efficiency of pollinators within these crops. She

presented an intriguing paper at the 4 th Australian Bee Congress in April of this year and is our very

special guest on episode 102 of the Bees with Ben podcast.

Karen says it was exciting to be able to return to conferences after Covid lock downs; she normally

attends more ecology-based forums, and the Bee Congress provided an opportunity to learn about

different research and to chat with a variety of people, including beekeepers. She explains that she

had zero knowledge about bees when she embarked on that first project in 2012. This involved

analysing pollen grains collected in pollen traps amongst colonies of Africanised honey bees to

determine what sort of resources they were collecting in a given area. Although people were telling

her that the bees were ‘crazy’ or ‘killers’, Karen had nothing to compare them to at the time. She

does acknowledge that precautions had to be taken to ensure the bees did not become agitated -

such as avoiding noise or wearing perfume - and that Australian honey bees have a far more mild-

mannered disposition and tend simply to ‘mind their own business’.

Karen’s presentation at the Congress concerned the diet of bees in almond orchards and was based

upon data collected in Victoria. The results were surprising, as although almond pollen is extremely

attractive to honey bees (it is a good source of protein), the bees nevertheless also seek out and

collect complimentary resources, even at the height of the flowering season. Results varied

significantly between hives, but the lowest proportion of almond pollen encountered was around

62%.

Karen is currently working on other crops including blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and apples,

and was lucky to finish her PhD data collection just prior to the onset of Covid restrictions -

particularly since she was working with blueberries at Coffs Harbour, which is now the subject of a

varroa mite incursion. However, plans to visit apple farms in Queensland had to be abandoned in

2020 and again in 2021 due to border lockdowns. Eventually, Karen is hoping to conduct a fieldtrip

to gather data on the pollen flow between apple cultivars. Like some almonds and blueberries,

apples also require cross pollination, and growers often interplant two or three cultivars in the same

area. Fluorescent pollen dye is used to track the movement of bees via UV light, which Karen says

can create quite a beautiful scene at night.