Attempts between current groups Apiculture New Zealand (ApiNZ) and New Zealand Beekeeping Inc (NZBI) to form a draft structure of a new national level industry body for beekeepers continued through October, but as the calendar turned to November each has identified sticking points which are slowing progress

Last month biosecurity found and removed three yellow-legged hornet queens in Auckland, following on from the discovery of two male hornets in different suburbs of the city in June and July. The presence of both male and female of the species is a “considerable concern” says invasive species expert Prof. Phil Lester.

The biggest food trade show in the most populous country on earth, World Food India, proved an eye-opening experience for the UMF Honey Association (UMFHA) in September. Marketing manager Campbell Naish reports on what we know about a potentially huge honey market and why – at least to this point – it has gone largely untapped by Kiwi honey producers.

This year marks John Berry’s 60th as a beekeeper and, knowing there is still plenty for him to learn, for the first time the Hawke’s Bay lad headed off to the World Beekeeping Congress that is ‘Apimondia’.

Among several New Zealand labs’ suite of honey tests are those designed to detect heavy metals. Hill Labs scientists Kyle Snare and Sukhjeet Singh explain how the heavy metals make it into the sweet stuff and why the testing is needed.

With a recent hornet incursion in Auckland, biosecurity is the topic-du-jour within apiculture and so Colony Loss Survey author Pike Stahlmann-Brown explains what last year’s survey results indicated about beekeepers’ preparedness.

By now we are aware that tiny plastic particles are all around us and, as humans, can’t help but ingest them. It’s the same in the animal kingdom and for the humble honey bee. Science writer Dave Black examines what that means for their health, and ours, and the food we both consume.

When the kiwifruit vines begin to flower, beekeepers need to be ‘ready to rock-n-roll’ in the Bay of Plenty. Aimz sure is…

What to make of the most recent government tinkering with New Zealand’s secondary school education system? Ian Fletcher weighs in with why getting it right is so important, but also so complex.

Queen breeders’ phones have been ringing off the hook this spring, with huge demand for mated queens, queen cells and nucs from – mainly – North Island beekeepers, while more than 700 beehives have crossed Cook Strait, destined for kiwifruit orchards in the Bay of Plenty. Increased orchard areas are undoubtably driving demand, but there is more at play too.

Despite the huge distance separating New Zealand and Denmark, at least 20 New Zealanders made their way to the biennial, global beekeeping showcase that is Apimondia, September 24-27. They report a “fabulous”, “overwhelming” and “very, very good” event that will “blow your mind”, but return with warnings for honey producers and suggest that New Zealand needs to have an even stronger showing in future.

There is no guarantee of a solution to keep all parties happy, but leading industry groups Apiculture New Zealand (ApiNZ) and New Zealand Beekeeping Inc (NZBI) have put in writing a timeline to collaborate in an attempt to deliver an improved beekeeping industry body.