3rd Australian Bee Congress - Honey Show Competition - Entries closing soon!

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CRC FOR HONEY BEE PRODUCTS HONEY SHOW – ENTRIES CLOSE 1st JUNE

The Honey Show, proudly sponsored by CRC for Honey Bee Products, will be conducted during the 3rd Australian Bee Congress and is open to all delegates attending the congress. 

The closing date for entry forms is Friday 1st June (no late entries will be accepted).  

For classes 1-3, 1 jar of honey must be delivered to AB’s Honey by 1st June (please clearly mark to attention of Australian Bee Congress). For all classes (including classes 1, 2 and 3), entries need to be delivered to the registration desk at the congress on Wednesday 27th June between 3pm and 5.30pm, or on Thursday 28th June between 8am and 9am. Please refer to attached General Information, Rules and Regulations document attached for further details. 

Please show your support of the Honey Show. The more entries we receive, the better the competition will be!! Winners will be announced at the Congress Dinner. 

Further information is attached, and can also be found on the website - http://australianbeecongress.com.au/honey-show/  

There are 18 categories available to enter. These are:  
Class 1: Liquid Honey “International” 
Class 2: Liquid Honey Manuka MGO Range 263-999
Class 3: Liquid Honey Manuka MGO Range 83-262
Class 4: Liquid Honey, Standard Colour WHITE
Class 5: Liquid Honey, Standard Colour LIGHT AMBER
Class 6: Liquid Honey, Standard Colour GOLDEN
Class 7: Liquid Honey, Standard Colour DARK
Class 8: Creamed Honey
Class 9: Granulated Honey Fine Grain
Class 10: Granulated Honey Coarse Grain
Class 11: Comb in Liquid Honey (Chunk Honey) 
Class 12: Pollen, cleaned and dried
Class 13: Cut comb (Comb Honey) 
Class 14: Beeswax – White
Class 15: Beeswax – Yellow
Class 16: Beeswax – Tablets White or Yellow
Class 17: Mead Sweet  Class 18: Mead Dry

THANK YOU TO OUR HONEY SHOW CATEGORY PARTNERS  

A.B’s Honey
Australian Manuka Honey Association
Bayside Beekeepers Association
Bendigo Bank Ltd
Better Bee Hives
Central Tablelands Branch of NSWAA
Dalrymple View Apiary Supplies
Gold Coast Amateur Beekeepers Society Inc (two categories)
JBEE Equipment
Lockwood Beekeeping Supplies
NSW Apiarists’ Association Inc (two categories)
NSW AA – Southern Tablelands Branch (two categories)
Saxvik Honey & Pollination Service (two categories)
The Australasian Beekeeper

Incursion of Asian bees (Apis cerana) in Darwin

INDUSTRY NOTICE NO. 1
AHBIC has been advised by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources that a swarm of Asian bees (Apis cerana) has been found in Darwin in the suburb of Karama. A local beekeeper was called, on 13 May 2018, to collect a swarm of bees and noticed that they were most likely Asian bees and reported this to the local Apiary Officer. All bees have been destroyed including the queen.
Examination has shown no presence of external mites i.e. Varroa or Tropilaelaps. Examination for internal mites is also being conducted. DNA identification will also be carried out.
Northern Territory Departmental Officers are starting a surveillance program initially concentrating on a one (1) kilometre radius for the presence of other Asian bees.
The AHBIC Executive is considering a response to this incursion.
Further information will be sent out as it is received.
Trevor Weatherhead AM
Executive Director
16 May, 2018

Varroa jacobsoni in Townsville - Updates from AHBIC

APIS CERANA AND VARROA JACOBSONI IN TOWNSVILLE – NO. 17 - 2 March 2017
In the two and half months since I last reported there have been no Asian bees found in Townsville. Under the Response Plan the eradication phase of the program ended on 28 February and we now move into the proof of freedom stage. It is anticipated that the proof of freedom stage will last for three (3) years unless there are more findings of Asian bees and Varroa jacobsoni.

In February I spent a day in Townsville talking with the leaders of the eradication response. I was pleased with the discussions I had. Now the proof of freedom stage has been started there will be a reduction in the staffing numbers. Key members of the eradication program will be retained.

Thank you to the industry volunteers who went to Townsville to help out. Your input, particularly in showing the local beekeepers how to carry out sugar shakes, alcohol washes and drone uncapping, were very much appreciated by the local beekeepers. This testing forms an important part of the proof of freedom stage.

One of the staff who will moving onto another job is Roger Winton. Roger came in as the local controller when the Asian bees and V. jacobsoni were first found. I found Roger very easy to work with. So thank you Roger for your work. Best of luck in your new job.

So at this stage I will not be putting out any more information bulletins unless there is a change in the situation in Townsville.

Australian Honey is a Safe Product

There have recently been newspaper articles about Australian honey being contaminated with alkaloids. These are in effect a rehash of issues that were dealt with some 5 years ago, and are both misleading and inaccurate. A comprehensive and detailed explanation/response can be found on the Australian Honey Bee Inductry Council website.

Go to http://honeybee.org.au/australian-honey-is-a-safe-natural-product

BEE SAFE and BEE Prepared videos online

The Primary Industries Health and Safety Partnership has produced a series of videos to help raise awareness of work place health and safety for bee keepers and those who are interested in taking up the hobby.

Why do bees sting? https://youtu.be/GtDD-BVuGuY?list=PLFGsRc6SOWFllxlmoOFu0KQl7eS6mARX8

What should beekeepers do to avoid being stung? https://youtu.be/3Toruss7OLY?list=PLFGsRc6SOWFllxlmoOFu0KQl7eS6mARX8

Steps to take when stung by a bee: https://youtu.be/Al1c5XU-5bo?list=PLFGsRc6SOWFllxlmoOFu0KQl7eS6mARX8

How does a smoker actually calm bees? https://youtu.be/Ueafw62fN3Q?list=PLFGsRc6SOWFllxlmoOFu0KQl7eS6mARX8

How can reactions to bee stings become more severe over time?https://youtu.be/ugiUAzz6Mic?list=PLFGsRc6SOWFllxlmoOFu0KQl7eS6mARX8

How can beekeepers select less aggressive bees? https://youtu.be/BoHJVDSTQ24?list=PLFGsRc6SOWFllxlmoOFu0KQl7eS6mARX8