Is beekeeping still for you?
Do you remember watching a child as their eyes grew wide with excitement at the thought of a brand-new puppy or even a kitten. You even forgave the said puppy when it chewed your favourite slippers or your most expensive shoes. You patiently opened the back door to let them in and out as often as their heart desired and even at the supermarket you looked for a treat or two along with the appropriate food.
Did you ever look at the long-term commitment, the life span of that dog or cat? Maybe it was a designer Labradoodle or a Calico. Maybe the kids persuaded you that it was what they really really wanted!
Was this also your journey into bees? The attraction of watching them go about their business, the lack of pollination in your garden or even the call from the many news articles that the bees were dying out and in need of saving.
For some beekeepers that attraction is long lived, for others it is a passing phase – a moment in time. Sometime it is good to reflect on why or how we were introduced to the bees.
The romanticism of looking after the bees
That feel-good moment saving the bees – from whatever was thrown at them
Because you heard that bees are responsible for a third of the food, we eat today
Because you had the garden, land or environment for a hive(s) to be placed on
The lure of free honey
Your friend talked you into it
Someone else bought or gave you a hive
That honey was a very profitable business to be involved in.
Or you were just fascinated with them and loved learning about them.
How has your journey been so far?
Have you been able to get enough time to look after your bees?
Have you had the time to learn or upskill on what you need to do to help your bees?
Have your initial goals been met by getting your bees? – relates to why you were introduced to bees
Has it been more expensive that you thought?
Are you still enjoying keeping bees?
Is it still profitable to be beekeeping if that was the reason to commence
What Challenges have you faced?
Time commitment – unable to commit at least 4 hours per month for a couple of hives
Cost of keeping bees was greater than initially thought
Your bees keep dying or swarming every year
Do you have issues with American Foulbrood, Varroa and/or wasps?
You are not alone with some of the challenges you have faced or are facing.
Sometimes just like any undertaking (hobby or business) we have to make a decision on whether something is long term or just a challenge to learn about and then move on to something else. Just like the puppy/kitten are we aware of the long-term commitment?
It is important to reflect on what you, as a ‘keeper of bees’ need to do as a minimum.
Keep beehives on a registered apiary (a site where you keep the bee hives)
There is no compromise on this – it is the law. If you have trouble keeping to the law then beekeeping is not for you!
Check or have checked you bees for American foulbrood – AFB
This one you can educate yourself on by attending the AFB recognition and training courses or
you can pay for someone who is qualified to check your hive every year to meet the requirements of the law. The cost for this service will include driving back and forth and inspection time and
If AFB is found, destroy the bees, beehive and contents.
Check your beehive(s) for food at critical times of the year
Bees need a good nutritious diet which they can source from their surrounding unless
The weather can impact their flying days
They haven’t been positioned in an ideal bee forage area
iii. Overcrowding in the area by multiple beekeepers and beehives which then reduces their forage opportunities
Provide sugar and or pollen substitutes/supplements until they can begin to access adequate stores
Check for and keep in control pests of the beehive, specifically varroa mite. What you do or don’t do impacts on the surrounding bees and their beekeepers in the area
Assess for varroa mite – ie sugar shake or alcohol wash
Treat for varroa mite with an approved treatment
Reassess for varroa mite to make sure the treatment is working
Recognise that treatment free beekeeping can only begin if your hive shows no varroa on the regular monitoring program. If your hives get varroa they will die. If you do not treat, you have created a source of varroa infestation for all the hives in your area as the drones move from one hive to another.
Be aware that chemical applications in New Zealand on the whole are required to be registered for use. They also have a label that is required to show the correct way to store and use the product. Overseas chemicals bought into New Zealand must adhere to New Zealand conditions. If you are buying direct from an overseas supplier via the internet, then this will not meet the required conditions in New Zealand. This will result in the products of the hives including honey being exposed to illegal chemicals.
Upskill in at least one of the following ways
Have a beekeeper mentor
Join a beekeeping club, group or association – join a team
Read beekeeping books and magazines
Internet research needs to come with a warning “have good knowledge to understand that what you are watching has some good science behind it, or a proven record in industry rather than just another theory or idea”. If it sounds too good to be true than it probably is! Be aware that NZ has different requirements than other countries and not all countries have the same pests and diseases.
Produce safe food – to barter, sell, trade or exchange
Comply with all food safety regulations including the tutin levels in honey to avoid poisoning anyone with tutin toxic honey which is a neurotoxin.
If the above is all a challenge for you then it is time to reassess why you have bees.
To make it even clearer, if you cannot look after your bees, have trouble burning diseased hives and/or simply don’t know why your bees die out every year then beekeeping is not for you!
What can you do with your hives if you decide to not continue?
Assess or have assessed your hive for AFB. You cannot barter, sell, trade or exchange hives that have AFB
If you have salvaged any equipment from hives that have had AFB then you cannot barter, sell, trade or exchange equipment.
If there is no AFB then the hive can be sold on the open market, whether you choose to list on the internet or through other means.
If it all gets too much please don’t just let your bees die! This is how disease spreads and is not fair treatment of your bees. You could always look at the option of gifting the hive to an existing beekeeper, a school with hives or a beekeeping club.
Once your hive leaves your possession, then you will need to notify the American Foulbrood Pest Management Agency about who you have given or sold the hive to. If it has just died, and you are not intending to replace then you must still notify them so they can update your records. If you don’t, you will continue to receive an invoice for your annual levy.
Go to www.afb.org.nz
Please do not leave empty hive ware in a location that bees may find and access it.
Burn or sell your used hive ware.