Apiculture Commons^™

Research Into Western Australian Honeys, Robert J G Manning

All other publications

On the 26 February 2002, the then Department of Agriculture released a media statement about the results of research conducted by Rob Manning and Nola Mercer about WA honeys’ antimicrobial activity using an assay developed in New Zealand. The research showed that Western Australian honey had some of the highest activity levels in the world due to a naturally occurring enzyme in the honey. Upon dilution of honey, the enzyme glucose oxidase produces low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide which is the source of its antimicrobial activity. It is different to Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey from New Zealand which is termed …

Pollen From Western Australia At A Glance, Rob Manning

Bulletins 4000 -

Western Australian pollen proteins are high compared to many other plant species. Banksia pollens are highest at greater than 30% followed by eucalypt and acacia, which range from 20-28%.

Surveillance Of Swarms And Feral Honey Bees (Apis Melliera) For The Presence Of American Foulbrood (Paenibacillus Larvae Sub. Sp. Larvae) Spores And Their Habitat Preferences In Western Australia, Rob Manning, Ruth Cadman, Jeff Beard, Chris Hawkins

Bulletins 4000 -

Honey bees were first transported to Western Australia in 1841 (Barrett 1999) and in the years that followed the first feral honey bee swarms soon appeared in the Western Australian landscape. A brood disease of honey bees, American Foulbrood (AFB) became an economic nuisance in Western Australia by 1899 (Helms 1900) with whole apiaries being destroyed in some localities. It is now an endemic disease found in beekeeping operations world-wide.

Beekeeping In Western Australia, Lee Allan, Robert J. G. Manning Dr

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin provides background information for those wishing to learn to keep bees or learn about beekeeping in Western Australia.

Honeybee Pollination, Technical Data For Potential Honey-Bee Pollinated Crops And Orchards In Western Australia, Robert J. G. Manning Dr

Bulletins 4000 -

The future of pollination of crops by beekeepers in Western Australia is encouraging. The number of crops that can be pollinated are on the increase and in the fruit sector, new varieties are being planted and established crops are being expanded.The use of honeybees in pollination will become very important as cropping areas enlarge and as export markets expand, with premium prices for quality.

This bulletin covers general guidance on developing a bee pollination services with specific advice for managing pollination services for vegetable, broadacre grain, fruit, nuts crops.

Honeybee Pollination Of Crops, Lee Allan, V. Kesvan, G. Kleinschmidt, P. Anning

Bulletins 4000 -

Pollination of horticultural and agricultural crops is being recognised throughout Australia by quality growers who wish to improve crop quality and quantity, to increase their returns from produce sold on local and export markets. Some growers are able to target specific high value markets using planned pollination to maximise their income.

Brood Diseases Of Bee, G. L. Griffiths, Lee Allan

Bulletins 4000 -

American foul brood (AFB) also know as American brood disease (ABD) is an infectious disease of honey bees cause by bacteria, Bacillus larvae. This bacteria forms spores which will survive many years in the environment and the bee larvae become infected by swallowing the spores with teir food. The spores then develop and multiply within the larvae.

Preservation Of Wooden Hive Equipment, Lee Allan

Agriculture reports

The booklet is a compilation of jounral articles by Department of Agriculture staff. Bee keeping and wood preservation in Australia, P.J. Robinson and J.R.J. French(The Australian Bee Journal, January 1986, pp 11-14) Wood preservation in Victoria commercial apiaries, P.J. Robinson and J.R.J. French(The Australian Bee Journal, January 1986, pp 8-10) Preservation of hive equipment, T.F. Weatherhead (The Australasian Bee Journal,May 1987, pp 12-17) Preservation of beehive components, T.F. Weatherhead (The Australasian Beekeeper,September 1984, pp 52-53) Choosing paint for beehive timbers, M.J. Kennedy (The Australasian Bee keeper,September 1984, pp 52-53) Protocol for wax dipping bee equipment, G.L. Griffiths (Division of Animal …

An Inventory Of Apiculture Land Use Surveys, R C. Burking

Soil conservation survey collection

Each year the Apiculture Section of the Western Australian Department of Agriculture undertakes a series of surveys relating to flora prospects, land area suitability or wildfire damage to bee pastures. Such surveys may vary according to the requirements both in time and intensity and the report may be presented as a Departmental file comment or be of such significance to warrant a suitable publication. The Department of Agriculture is at present collating numerous surveys and reports undertaken by a variety of Research Officers in various Divisions. Computer data bases have been set up utilising the Records Management System which will …

A Suitability Survey Of Sections Of The Southern Goldfields Area For Use By Commercial Beekeepers 21/25 October 1985, A C. Kessell, R C. Burking

Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Honey Plants In Western Australia, F. G. Smith

Bulletins - 3000 - 3999

Successful honey production depends, among other things on a good knowledge of the plants which produce nectar.

Every apiarist needs to know which plants are of importance to honey-bees, where those plants occur, and when they flower. He also needs to know which plants produce nectar which will result in the production of good quality honey, and which produce unpalatable or unmarketable honey. To maintain the strength of his bee colonies he also needs to know which plants produce nutritious pollen.

The object of this bulletin is to provide the basic information on these subjects in the main beekeeping areas …

Report On The Visit To Australia, Eva Crane

Journal articles

The purposes of Dr Crane's 6-week visit to Australia in October-November 1967, which was made at the invitation of the Honey Research Advisory Committee and financed by joint Commonwealth/Industry research funds, were:

• to study Australia's need in bringing the results of research in apiculture throughout the world to practical honey producers;
• to lecture on the activities of the Bee Research Association and on how the BRA can help the beekeeping industry;
• to advise State Department of Agriculture apicultural extension officers on the facilities provided by the BRA and on how to make best use of those facilities to assist in …

The Hive, F. G. Smith

Bulletins - 3000 - 3999

The hive is the first and most important thing a person needs for keeping bees, and the choice of a hive and its accessories needs careful consideration. The object of this book is to provide both guidance to the beginner and full information for the established apiarist on hives and their various parts.

Race Of Bees, R. S. Coleman

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

You have probably seen bees of various colours working the flowers in your garden. Some have yellow stripes others have orange stripes some have no stripes at all, and are a uniform grey or brown. These colours are the main differences between the main races of bees.

Evicting Bees From Houses, A Kessell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Every year, the Apicultural Branch receives a number of inquiries from harassed householders concerning methods of evicting bee colonies which have taken up their abode in houses. Cavity walls often provide cosy quarters for swarms seeking accommodation, while others establish themselves in chimneys, ventilators and under floors.

[One of an ongoing series of articles, collectively titled: Bees and Honey]

Control Of Swarming, R S. Coleman

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

It has often been said that the secret of getting a high yield of honey is to have a large field force of young bees in every hive at the beginning of the nectar flow. The colonies should not have to build up numerical strength when they should be collecting nectar. It is just as important for the apiarist to have a large proportion of field bees compared with hive bees as it is to have well-bred queens, efficient equipment and all the other factors which make for success in beekeeping.

Bees In Box Hives, A Kessell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The keeping of bees in other than properly appointed hives with standard frames is illegal in Western Australia as such hives make it almost impossible to inspect the swarms in order to check for disease. Nevertheless, beekeepers occasionally encounter swarms which have established themselves or have been established in fruit cases or other types of boxes or containers.

[One of an ongoing series of articles, collectively titled: Bees and Honey]