The Awards have been won for 2026, the ABA AGM is Coming Soon and Varroa Numbers or on the Rise

Col. Pulling and Bruce White Shields

A huge thank you to all of our members, who took part in the Col. Pulling and Bruce White Shield Competitions. It takes time, courage and a lot of hard work, to enter honey, mead, wax and photographs. In any competition. The experience you gain, stands you in good stead for all competitions, so it is a great way to learn. Participating prepares you for even larger, more prestigious competitions.

In honey competitions, the product speaks for itself. But, how you present your honey, requires a close look at the schedule and ensure that every requirement is fulfilled. In the photography element, as in all cases, you must read the schedule and conditions. In some instances, not all the requirements were met and therefore, marks were lost.

There is not always a lot of leeway to use your imagination, as the requirements are very strict, so it was a disappointment that entrants did not “go to town” with their image titles. Some photographs were submitted without attributing them to a photographer, either. This is said as constructive criticism; to learn from an error.

A huge vote of thanks goes to Alex Nelson for coordinating and running the competitions. His services are greatly appreciated, as he put in the hard graft that contributed to the overall success of the competition.

THANK YOU, ALEX!

ABA Business

If I say the three letters A.G.M., please do not leave the page, or let your eyes glaze over. The ABA AGM, will be online this year and I hope it will be short and sweet. It will be held on 9th November 2026 from 7.30 – 8.00, AEDT, with all the papers already having been circulated.

On completion of the official part of the proceedings, an informal Q and A will be held, where members may ask the new committee some questions. Registration is necessary to join the meeting, and you are welcome have your say.

Monitoring

As we move from winter into spring, an increase in Varroa reproduction is expected as the brood next expands. Monitoring for Varroa and other pests becomes even more important. Alcohol washing is effective in establishing your Varroa threshold, but invasive pests like Tropilaelaps, are not so easily discovered, in an alcohol wash. Unlike Varroa, which lives on bees, Tropilaelaps spends most of its life in brood cells. 

Varroa incursions into Australia were not found until it was too late to eradicate them. As beekeepers we must try to learn from the past and as we monitor Varroa levels, be mindful that other pests could also be present. We are not aware of Tropilaelaps in Australia, therefore vigilance could pay dividends. We do not need another blow to our industry! 

If you see anything unusual in your alcohol wash, scrutinize it carefully. Send it away for testing if you are not sure about what you are seeing. Tropilaelaps runs very fast across the frame, so, movement is detected. Good surveillance is to tap the brood frame over a white board and look at the debris that falls out.

And Finally

Congratulations to all of the Col. Pulling and Bruce White Shield winners. We have advanced plans for the competitions for next year, and although dates are yet to be finalised, the competition may be held earlier than this year.

This is important because making mead, preparing honey for show and creating wax entries takes time and patience. Use your imagination in the photographic section and capture that magical image. Enjoy the work that goes into the entries and build on this year’s practice.