Hobby beekeepers lose a disproportionate rate of colonies over winter, compared to commercial operators, the NZ Colony Loss Survey has long told us. However, that same survey shows there are some simple actions hobby beekeepers can take to help improve the chances of colony survival, explains departing survey lead Pike Stahlmann-Brown. BSI scientist Pike Stahlmann-Brown spent 11 years as the lead of New Zealand’s Colony Loss Survey, but now MPI will undertake the newly brande

It’s a term most beekeepers would have heard often ‘integrated pest management’ (IPM), but what does it actually mean and what does it look like in practice, in the hives? Vita Bee Health commercial director Sebastian Owen not only has the simple, clear and concise answers to those questions, but explains how the world-leading bee health company’s range of products can form a reliable IPM strategy.