Issue: June 2026
ABA Membership Renewal Opens 1st June. Earlybird discounts apply!
Attack the Varroa mite's Biology not the Symptoms
The natural winter Brood Break in cold climates also creates a break in Varroa mite reproduction. Bruce White discusses how to force a brood break in areas where the climate is warm enough for the queen to produce brood all year round. When combined with organic miticides a forced brood break is an effective Varroa management strategy.
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Yellow-Legged Hornet: New Zealand's warning to Australia
In November 2025, New Zealand confirmed the discovery of yellow-legged hornets, Vespa velutina, on Auckland's North Shore. For Australian beekeepers, the news was sobering. New Zealand had until then been free of the pest, and its arrival brought a threat already familiar to beekeepers in Europe and parts of Asia, suddenly much closer to Australia. By early May 2026, Biosecurity New Zealand had located and destroyed 77 queen hornets and 132 nests. Read More:
Colonel Pulling and Bruce White Awards 2026
The dapper gent in the colonel's uniform is of course, Colonel Guy Pulling who founded the ABA. In 1986 the Colonel Pulling award was created in his honour. This year is the 40th anniversary Colonel Pulling Award.
For all the information your club needs to enter and a short biography of Guy Pulling
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Presidents Report May 2026
The President's report covers Membership renewal that starts June 1st. An update on the new Swarm system. The biosecurity Manual for Beekeepers. Comments on the investigation into the origins of the Varroa mite incursion. The Colonel Pulling and Bruce White Awards for 2026, and finally a reminder that the ABA needs needs members to support the association as volunteers and committee members.
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Biosecurity Buzz
Mike Allerton discusses the AFB minimisation program which ABA and member clubs participate in and the parlous state of available effective miticides in Australia. A poor situation has got worse with the discovery of mites with resistance to the two main classes of synthetic pesticides.
National Beehive & Honey Traceability Feasibility Study
From October 2025 to May 2026 a feasability study was conducted into the development of a national system of hive and honey traceability.
Globally honey adulteration is quite common and a national system of tracing hives and honey is important to ensure the Australian honey industry stays honest!
Building Biosecurity Skills in the Field
The Queensland Beekeepers’ Association recently delivered a well-attended In-Apiary Workshop at the Department of Primary Industries Gatton facility on 11 April 2026, with 44 beekeepers taking part in a full day of practical, hands-on learning.
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Honey Testing: A message from EMAI Laboratory
At Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI) our laboratories play an important role in monitoring and protecting NSW and Australia’s agricultural industries from diseases and pests. We are part of NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
All AFB honey testing for NSW DPIRD occurs in the Bacteriology Laboratory. We are a small team who have been trained in Honey culture for AFB and in the microscopic identification of AFB, EFB, Nosema and Chalkbrood. Read More:
Selling Honey? – Don’t Risk it! You need Insurance!
If you are selling honey, you do really need insurance and for the modest sum of $25 you have cover for this apiarian activity. Selling liquid, creamed, candied and flavoured honey, are all covered by this Insurance. Selling colonies of bees, selling queens, selling honeycomb and wax are also covered by your ABA Insurance.
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Tell us about your Handy Hive Hints
We hope that the magazine helps to keep you up-to-date with any new ideas and treatments. It would help us all if experienced beekeepers would send in their “Handy Hive Hints” We would run these as short paragraphs with a photograph, describing a useful idea that has been of help in some way.
There are many experienced beekeepers in our membership, and it would be wonderful if they would share their Handy Hive Hints. Little gems of help when you most need it! Please let me have your tips – you may remain anonymous, if you wish. All contributions greatly appreciated. Read More:
