Beekeeping can be really good fun. But it is important to know how to look after your bees the right way.

Registering Your Beehives

Regardless if you are doing bees as a hobby or commercially. It is your responsibility to register your beehives. This is due to biosecurity reasons. Registration enables the department to conduct disease prevention and control programs to benefit beekeepers. Link to websites to register:

• QLD: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/niche-industries/beekeeping/hive-registration
• NSW: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/bees/beekeeper-registration
• VIC: https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/honey-bees/beekeeper-registration-and-hive-disposal
• SA: https://pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/animal_health/bees/beekeeper_registration
• NT: https://nt.gov.au/industry/agriculture/livestock/honey-bees-and-beekeeping/register-your-bee-hives
• WA: https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-biosecurity/registering-owner-stock-or-beekeeper
• TAS: https://nre.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/animal-biosecurity/animal-health/bees/beekeeper-registration-form

Do Your Research with Factual Information

We strongly recommend to stay off Facebook and YouTube to do research into looking after bees. It is all misleading and just opinions. You may also find that majority of it is based in America which is completely different to Australian beekeeping. Instead we recommend doing your research through any government website. They have been researching and keeping bees for over 100 years. So they definitely know what they are doing. All beekeeping is different across Australia so some techniques and practices may vary.

Links to websites:

• QLD: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/niche-industries/beekeeping
• NSW: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/bees
• VIC: https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/honey-bees
• SA: https://pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/animal_health/bees
• NT: https://nt.gov.au/industry/agriculture/livestock/honey-bees-and-beekeeping
• WA: https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/plant-biosecurity/becoming-beekeeper-western-australia
• TAS: https://nre.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/animal-biosecurity/animal-health/bees

Check Up On Your Council Rules

It is important to make sure that you are able to own bees within your council area. Check with your local council on the rules of owning them and how many you are allowed to have on a property. Rules are different in each council area.

Know What You Are In For

Beekeeping has a lot more to it than you may think. It can be fun at times but it can also be challenging. You need to dedicate time and effort into your hives to ensure they are a happy hive. They are not something you can leave in the backyard and forget. This hobby can also get expensive to get into when you are first starting. As you get the hang of it, it can become quite rewarding with trading wax and selling honey. We see beekeepers in our store all the time with their "honey money" that they have collected from selling their own honey to then spend in store with us.

Getting Your Neighbours On Board

When buying a hive and putting it in the backyard, you will need to be mindful of your neighbours. Before going ahead it is a good idea to check in with your neighbours and let them know you are getting a hive. As people leave lights on at night which then attracts bees to it and to then die. Which creates the perfect opportunity for someone to get stung. As well as there may be the conflict of neighbours being allergic to bees.

How To Get Yourself a Beehive

There are 2 ways to obtain a hive. Catching a swarm or buying from a beekeeper. If you choose to catch a swarm you will need to be prepared if it does not stay. You will also need to re-queen the hive if it does decide to stay. This way it will prevent the hive from swarming again and will make the hive more calm and easier to work with. Or you can avoid the disappointment and buy from a beekeeper that knows what they are doing. They should be providing you a nucleus hive (starter hive) with a brand new queen, to then grow it into an established hive that produces honey. It is then up to you to look after it.

What Pests and Diseases Are Out There ?

There are lots of pests and diseases out there for bees. It is most important to know how to identify these pests and diseases early, as well as know how to get rid of them. For instance, it is vital to have Small Hive beetle traps inside your hive all year round. Please note that Varroa Mite has not established yet in Australia at this point in time.

Who Should I Buy My Gear From ?

It is most recommended to buy from Australian beekeeping retail stores, like us! For example: Beekeeping retail stores should be providing Australian Beeswax Foundation Sheets to beekeepers as it has no chemicals or anything added to it. Making it the cleanest wax in the world! If you were to buy from eBay for example it will most likely be paraffin wax sheets which has chemicals put in it. If this then gets contaminated with pure wax, it essentially becomes worthless. Here at Beekeeping Supplies Australia we make our own wax sheets with 100% pure Australian Beeswax with none of those nasty chemicals added. So as a responsible beekeeper it is important to make sure you know what you are buying before going through with the purchase.