BEEKEEPERS are warning honey prices will soar this summer after about 150 million bees were wiped out in the Hinterland bushfires. Bees play an important role in the balance of nature. They work hard to pollinate plants – agricultural, horticultural and garden - and they make honey. Unfortunately, they also have a nasty sting and need to be managed correctly to avoid creating a nuisance on adjoining properties.
One of the primary limitations to the keeping of bees is the real or perceived interaction between the bee and people who live in or use the surrounding area.
Bee hives must be set up and managed so they do not interfere with the community.
Set up hives in a quiet part of the property and away from neighbouring properties, roads, footpaths and parks.Face hive entrances across your property or, consider barriers, such as hedges, shrubs or shade cloth fixed to a trellis.Manage bee colonies to prevent or minimise swarming. Beekeepers must take responsibility for a swarm and capture it as soon as it has formed into a cluster.
If you own one or more hives, you must be a registered beekeeper with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) under the Apiaries Act 1982. You must also be a member of a recognised beekeeper's association that has an approved code of practice for the keeping of bees.
Are you interested in helping the native bee population thrive again? Visit the DAF website to download the Department's Guidelines for beekeeping in Queensland.
