Following Darren Bainbridge’s The Future of Beekeeping Representation: Let’s Talk About It column last month – where he called for fresh thinking and fresh leadership to help overcome the issues besieging beekeeper representation – Apiarist’s Advocate editor Patrick Dawkins has conversed with more than a dozen candid beekeepers to garner their thoughts on what would entice them to support a national-level group to represent their interests.

Last month Darren Bainbridge surveyed the apicultural landscape from his position as a small-scale beekeeper and management software supplier to the industry, to detail what he saw as the failings in the status-quo of industry governance. Now, he expands on that thinking with a potential structure to consider moving forward under.

The Capilano Honey leaflet that berates New Zealand mānuka honey as inferior to Australian mānuka honey in seven categories reads as an enemy act. Yet from the viewpoint of marketers, Capilano has done the right thing.

Whether its public nuisance, ?? or just an unproductive spot, Hawke’s Bay beekeeper John Berry has witnessed many poorly-located beehives through the years (some, on reflection, his own!). He shares what he’s learnt, and some best-practice does and don’ts.

The owners of Bee Supplies Otago have listed the Mosgiel-based business for sale. Eloise Martyn speaks to Murray Rixon to find out more about the diverse business and what’s behind his decision to offer it up.

Honey bees challenge many of the ideas we have about ageing (imagine doing the most physically demanding work of your life at the very end, or your mother naturally living more than 30 times as long as you…). Science writer Dave Black takes a look at what we know about our honey bees’ ageing process.

What does it take to get through winter? Bay of Plenty beekeeper 'Aimz' checks on fat stores and varroa sores as the days get shorter...

Where once a multi-day national conference was a staple of the beekeeping calendar in New Zealand, Apiculture New Zealand hosted only a reduced ‘Summit Day’ last winter and the industry-good group have nothing on the calendar yet this beekeeping off-season. There are other events planned though. So, with most beekeeper’s workloads reducing as the days shorten, we take a look at the opportunities they will have to cluster this winter.

More than a month on from members granting Apiculture New Zealand (ApiNZ) a ‘stay of execution’, leadership is still searching for answers and yet to set a date for an Annual General Meeting (AGM) pivotal to the group’s future. However, work is continuing behind the scenes and a “process” being followed so a potential new model for the industry...

There was greater attendance for the second in a series of industry roundtable meetings hosted by New Zealand Beekeeping Inc on May 1, but was there greater progress made?...

Comvita Ltd's share price appears to have decoupled from the company's earnings prospects and asset value. Decoupled, it reflects no measure or forecast...

Bruce Roscoe identifies a pincer movement where the conflict between traditional retailing and online selling is reducing returns from the sale of mānuka products...