Issue: February 2026
Methods to Find a Queen in a Colony
Bruce White discusses one of the most difficult things to do in the management of a colony of bees for new beekeepers. Finding the queen amongst the thousands of worker bees and drones is hard for many new and not so new beekeepers. It is normal for only one queen to be present and finding the queen can be very rewarding for new beekeepers, many say they have never found a queen. Read More:
Aluen CAP emergency permit, what it means for Australian beekeepers
A new APVMA emergency use permit has opened a legal pathway for slow release oxalic acid strips. The opportunity is real, but so are the restrictions. Here is what PER95790 actually allows, how it compares with Api-Bioxal under permit, and why manufactured strips beat home made strips on safety and reliability. Read More:
Becoming a Better Beekeeper in 2026.
Varroa really puts the pressure on beekeeping, but it will not end your beekeeping journey if you put a little bit of extra work in, adapt to the new normal (which has varroa management firmly front and centre in it) and be a good beekeeper in this new environment.
Read More:
Guide to Understanding Pesticide Exposure Risks for Bees
Many beekeepers have been faced with the problem of identifying the cause of the demise of their bees, when dead bees are piled up, at the hive entrance. Pesticide poisoning is probably more frequent than realized. Experienced beekeepers know that if the colony has been in good health, stores of pollen and honey are plentiful and known pests have been managed, then pesticide poisoning is a very real possibility. Read More:
The Secret Partnership Between Bees and Fungi
Fungi often receive a bad reputation, and not without reason. Poisonous mushrooms, disease-causing yeasts, and mould creeping onto food or into our homes make the “bad fungi” list a long one. But, before writing off the entire kingdom, it’s worth remembering that not all fungi deserve the same negative spotlight. In fact, some of them may be quietly giving our bees a helping hand.
Read More:
Let’s Stop Sugar Coating It:
The Powdered Sugar Shake Is Not Harmless!
Mike Allerton in Biosecurity Buzz discusses a new research paper that demonstrates that Sugar Shake causes measurable harm and premature mortality in worker bees. This work fills a decades-long gap in bee science, because until now nobody had properly tested whether the bees subjected to this method actually survive and reintegrate into the colony.
Read More:
A bee garden by any other name could be an apiary
Despite many attempts in the 1830’s and early 1840’s, the honey bee was not successfully introduced into Western Australia until March 1846. Lt. Helpman R.N. procured some from Launceston aboard the colonial Government schooner Champion. The Sydney Herald, 16 November 1842, noted “It is no long time since that the colony of Western Australia was in convulsions concerning a hive of bees. The Governor wanted bees, the colonists remembered the flavour of honey and desiderated bees, and their children, learning that honey was passing sweet, smacked their lips and incontinently cried for bees also. But not a hive could be got …” Read More:
What’s In Flower?
That’s good for pollen and honey production
For the last few weeks in December and most of January there is a massive flowering in western Sydney of a tree that looks like a Eucalypt, but isn’t. The tree is Rough Barked Apple or Angophra floribunda. It’s a close relative of the Eucalypts. Floribunda means many flowers and this year it has definitely lived up to its name.
Read More:
Bolt For Beekeepers:
A Free Online Course that Every Beekeeper Should Know About for Bee Biosecurity and Hive Health
Many beekeepers are unaware that Plant Health Australia host a FREE, nationally recognised online course focused on hive health and best-practice bee biosecurity through its Biosecurity Online Training (BOLT) platform.
Read More:
Salted Cabage Salad with Garlic, Sesame, Honey & Lemon Salad Dressing
A salted cabbage salad with a sensational honey, garlic, sesame, lemon dressing. An excellent accompaniment for a BBQ. An unusual flavour combination which includes Sweet, Salty, Sour and Savoury.
Read More:
A correction
The photograph of a “swarm” in the January 2026 and August 2025 President’s reports was sourced from an image library where it was labeled as a bee swarm. In all likelihood, this photo is not an Apis mellifera swarm.
From the Editor
We have compiled an index issue just for “Think like a Bee” stories. Just go to the "Issues" tab. From now on, the top left issue will always be “Think Like A Bee”. Here all the TLAB stories will be gathered so you can search for the one you want. We shall also do the same with Recipes, in the future. We need a lot more recipes for this search to work. You may have a great honey recipe, please share it with us all! Read More: