Welcome to our Beekeeping Blog, here you find articles and podcasts about beekeeping and gardening.We like to write tips and tricks to help you keep your bees and garden healthy.

Please use the search field on the top of the page or select the tags or categories on the right hand side.We have over 500 hundred articles, you will find something interesting to listen or to read.

Why did my Bees leave in Winter?

Why did my Bees leave in Winter? Margaret answers this question from Michael. [...]

04
May
Bees Have Had a Guts Full

Not only do our kiwi honey bees have to deal with this blimmin' parasite they are now also dealing with real gut wrenching poisoning. [...]

16
Oct
Feeding Honey Bees while Splitting

Is it OK to feed bees, during the splitting process. Margaret responds to a question from Dan. [...]

10
Apr
Creating a Water Source for Bees

Here is an update to a story we did back in 2009. The original wooden stand had rotted away, so it was time to give the water feeder a [...]

2 Comments

06
Apr
Honey vs Sugar
Honey Bee Honey versus Sugar Syrup

We ask what nutrition does honey provide that sugar-syrup does not? What is better for your bees? [...]

1 Comment

28
Mar
Beekeeping Practices – Varroa – 20th versus 21st Century

21st Century Beekeeping In our view, it is now time to review OLD beekeeping practices. Mostly in terms of how things have changed due to the appearance of the Varroa Destructor [...]

15
Mar
Wintering Down Beehives

How do we winter down ?  We run our Beehive colonies with two full-depth boxes on the first and second levels.  We consider the second hive box to be a [...]

15
Mar
10 Mistakes New Beekeepers Make

The art of beekeeping can be very exciting, but if you are a beginning beekeeper, you are most likely going to make some mistakes. Of course, no beekeeper will intentionally want [...]

7 Comments

28
Nov
8 Spring Flowers That Attract Australian Native Bees

Bees are wonderful and hardworking creatures. But due to climate change and landscapes which are being cleared off, the bees’ population is in danger. Before it comes to extinction, let’s all [...]

1 Comment

21
Nov
How to Kill Bees

Here are some handy tips for the new beekeeper to help you kill your Bees and Beehive Honey Bee colony [...]

1 Comment

24
Oct
How do you tell the difference between Manuka and Kanuka?

In this post we answer the question how do you tell the difference between Manuka and Kanuka? Here are four ways to get you started. [...]

5 Comments

19
Sep
Sick Bees Varroa problem – Remedial action for Deformed Wing Virus using OAV

Have your bees got Deformed Wing Virus, Margaret discusses what she has done to reduce this in your hives using OAV. [...]

5 Comments

03
Sep
American Foulbrood Elimination – a Video Series by the AFB Management Agency

A great video series by Plant and Food in New Zealand about the history and Elimination of American Foulbrood. American Foulbrood is the most widespread and destructive of the bee [...]

14
May
7 Plants That Repel Unwanted Insects, But not Bees

If you want to grow an organic garden and keep the process as natural as possible, you should turn to nature. Here are some bee friendly plants that deter pests [...]

3 Comments

09
May
12 Must See Ted Talks for Beekeepers

Do you love learning about Bees? Here is our top twelve favorite Ted Talks about bees. Grab a coffee, Sit down and watch these quick talks. [...]

5 Comments

12
Apr
How to Prepare Your Bees for Autumn

Yes it's that time to plan for the coming season, and in this article, as the sun sets on Summer we are talking about preparing for Autumn [...]

3 Comments

22
Mar
The Bees and Your Backyard: What All The Gardening Buzz is About

Many of us have often thought about getting into gardening. The concept of growing our own food is one of the oldest of American traditions—to get your hands dirty in the [...]

20
Dec
6 Best Methods to Create a Bee-Friendly Garden

Looking for ways on how to create a bee-friendly garden? Find out the six most effective ways to attract bees and other beneficial insects in your garden! [...]

5 Comments

25
Oct
How to Create a Flower Garden with Year-Round Blooms

Were you thinking about creating a beautiful landscape in your yard? Well, for gardening beginners, there are numerous tips and tricks to growing and maintaining a gorgeous garden. Here is our [...]

2 Comments

11
Oct
How to Become an Insecticide Labelling Ninja

It’s been my experience the consumer buying public don’t realise that Insecticides bought at the supermarket or hardware store could be harming Honey Bees and other Pollinators in their gardens. Here [...]

27
Sep
Top 10 Plants For Bees During The Winter Months

Winters are the months that come out to be a little hard to survive for anybody. Here are some ideas for plants that will help bees during the coldest season. [...]

6 Comments

13
Sep
How to Create a Relaxing Outdoor Space in Your Small Yard

Trust us when we say this, a small yard is a blessing in disguise. There’s a lot that you can experiment with in case of small yards rather than the big [...]

1 Comment

23
Aug
What are the 3 basics to start beekeeping? Part 3 – 6 Essential Pieces of Info About Beekeeping

What are the basics to start Beekeeping. Margaret talks about the 6 Essential Pieces of Information About Beekeeping that will help you be successful. [...]

6 Comments

09
Aug
End of Season 2016!!!!

It’s the end of the Bee Season for us now in New Zealand, so you won’t hear from us for the next little while, See you in the Bee Season 2017. [...]

25
May
Exotic Visitor – Beehive and Bees Checks

Alastair, who is a designated inspector for Ministry for Primary Industries attended the site with Margaret to check our bees for Exotic diseases. What did you find? [...]

5 Comments

23
May
What are the 3 basics to start Beekeeping? Part 2 – 5 Essential Beehive Components

What are the essential pieces of hive ware that make up a modern Langstroth beehive? Read Margaret’s great article on the five Essential Beehive Components you need to get started. [...]

3 Comments

10
May
How to do a Sugar Shake Mite Count – Video

In this video we show you How to do a Sugar Shake Mite Count, using a sugar shake jar and icing or powdered sugar. Monitoring your Varroa mites levels is [...]

26
Apr
10 Delicious, Cheap Recipes That Use Up Your Herb Garden

If you have a lovely garden filled with fresh herbs, why not take this as an opportunity to create some of the best yet simple meals for you and your family? [...]

17
Apr
What are the 3 basics to start beekeeping? Part 1 – Essential Beekeeping Equipment

Have you ever wondered what you need to start Beekeeping? Here is the Essential Beekeeping Equipment to get started in Beekeeping. [...]

10 Comments

12
Apr
How To Make Money with Treatment Free Beekeeping

Can you make a living and still be a Treatment Free Beekeeper, we are honored to welcome Aaron Jennings from Jennings Apiaries on his first guest article. Here are five [...]

11 Comments

22
Feb
Do You Know How Bees Make Honey?

All you need to know about how bees make honey. The entire process has a lot of steps and bees working together to produce a small amount. [...]

18
Jan
Getting your Bees Ready for Winter – Spring-Inspection

Getting your Bees Ready for Winter - How one of our Beginners got they bees through the wet winter [...]

1 Comment

14
Dec
Buzzy Bee – Lets go for a Ride

Here is a UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY to own one of these Kiwi Icons and earn some additional money for your business. Wow your very own Buzzy Bee Ride on. [...]

12
Oct
Moving Bees to a Long Bench Hive – Video

In this video Margaret Shows your how to move an existing colony into a Long Bench Hive. She also offers some tips on how to manage bees. [...]

3 Comments

10
Aug
Beginner Beekeeper…Water Bees

Beginner Beekeeper shares first season experiences, and challenges faced with the local High Tides. [...]

08
Jul
Robbing Screen – How to Stop Wasps and Bees Robbing Your Bee Hives

A Robbing Screen is a placed in the front of the honey beehive entrance. To help save your colonies from Robbing Bees and Wasps! Here is how to use our [...]

9 Comments

11
Feb
Beekeeping in Greece

News from the Bee World in Greece from our listeners Lorin & John. [...]

10
Feb
Beekeepers Q&A – End of Jan

The Beekeepers Q&A, the weekly live show on blab where we attempt to answer your burning beekeeping questions. [...]

31
Jan
The Beekeepers Q&A – The Fat Bee Man “Don” joined us.

The Beekeepers Q&A, the show on blab we attempt to answer your burning beekeeping questions. We are joined this week by Don "The Fat Bee Man". [...]

2 Comments

17
Jan
Commercial Beekeeping – How do you get started?

Commercial Beekeeping - How do you get started? We answer a readers question with ideas on how to get started in Commercial Beekeeper in New Zealand. [...]

6 Comments

12
Jan
Honey extraction Idea for Manuka – a great tip from Aussie

We hope this will help those having difficulty extracting Manuka/Kanuka honey frames, a great tip from Clive. [...]

17
Dec
How Long Should I Wait To See Eggs

How Long Should I Wait To See Eggs, when you collect a swarm how long does it take to see eggs? [...]

01
Dec
Assessment Results – Beginner Beekeepers Splits

Margarets second part of her Spring assessment article [...]

08
Oct
Spring Assessment – Beginner Beekeeper and Bees

This is an email I have sent out to our Beeginuzz. Which you may find useful in doing your Spring Assessment. [...]

3 Comments

01
Oct
Whats happening in Aussie? honey beekeeping Spring

This week we bring you some photos from Thomas in Queensland of honey extraction. Great to see the Ozzie bees doing so well. [...]

4 Comments

24
Sep
The Man Who Discovered Manuka Honey – Dr Peter Molan

The Man Who Discovered Manuka Honey - Dr Peter Molan. The Discoverer of the Healing Factor in Active Manuka Honey, this talk discusses his part of the story of this [...]

1 Comment

10
Sep
TreeHive Beehive …part two…swarming

Part two of what we now affectionately call the 'Treehive Beehive' [...]

24
Aug
What types of Beehives can you get in New Zealand?

What types of Beehives are available in New Zealand, Margaret investigates the differences in the different hive types. [...]

13
Aug
Courtesy of Treescape
Tree Hive…branching out…Swarming…Part One

Margaret's account of how she removed a swarm of bees that had taken up residence up a tree, with the help of the great guys at Treescape. [...]

1 Comment

30
Jul
How to Get Rid of Wasps in Your Garden: the Natural Way

Wasps are your garden’s helpful pollinators. But if they become too many or attacked your Honey bees, they can pose a problem. Get rid of them naturally with these easy [...]

6 Comments

18
Jun
How to Prepare a Beehive for Winter In New Zealand

How to Prepare a Beehive for Winter, our guide to what we do at kiwimana to get our Beehives ready for the cold wet New Zealand Winter. [...]

13 Comments

30
Apr
Whats Blooming at kiwimana HQ….beekeeping, apiary, gardens, flowers

Its now well into Autumn here in New Zealand - April 2015. This beekeeping season we have really enjoyed a long Summer even though the honey flow was late, our [...]

22
Apr
How To Extract Honey Without An Honey Extractor

In this article we explain how to use two buckets to extract a small amount of frames. A quick and easy method for when you only have a few frames to [...]

3 Comments

16
Apr
patreon
What is Patreon – and why we are using it?

We want to introduce you to Patreon. It is something that you can be a part of without having to do any work as we will do the work for you. [...]

08
Apr
Manuka the biography of an extraordinary honey – KM067

Here is a talk given by Cliff Van Eaton about his new book "Manuka the biography of an extraordinary honey" [...]

3 Comments

19
Mar
Auckland Council proposed Beekeeping Bylaw

Auckland Council are reviewing their bylaws and Margaret makes submission which appeared to bee well-received. [...]

1 Comment

02
Mar
How to Get Rid of Laying Workers in Your Beehive

How to Get Rid of Laying Workers in Your Beehive. If you catch this early you can still save the hive. [...]

10 Comments

12
Feb
Moving Beehives – Short Distance Moves

Moving Beehives A Short Distance, here is a method and some tips you can use to move a Beehives around your garden or backyard. [...]

25 Comments

09
Oct
Meeting the Barefoot Beekeeper in Wareham forest in Dorset

Phil Chandler inspecting an hTBH
Learning from the "Barefoot Beekeeper". Nicks account of the recent training he attended at Alpha Farm with Phil [...]

1 Comment

06
Oct
Beekeeping Course – Introduction to the World of Beekeeping
October 2, 2014

...more relaxed
Here at kiwimana we are Beekeepers who want to help those interested in Bees and Beekeeping by providing simple yet informative starter [...]

Auckland Council Bees Bylaw

Auckland Town hall
Auckland Council have put Bees under the "Animal Management Bylaws". Margaret discusses her views on this move. [...]

2 Comments

16
Sep
New Zealand Podcasts – you might also like

photo credit: garryknight via photopin cc
New Zealand Podcasts - As you may know we have a podcast, the kiwimana buzz beekeeping podcast. [...]

11 Comments

25
Aug
Love is a goat called Louise

Louise
Some sad news about our goat Louise, who passed away over winter in New Zealand. [...]

2 Comments

18
Aug
Break? …what break? apiary maintenance, beekeeping supplies

 Margaret's summary of our winter break and pre-bee season preparations. [...]

07
Aug
Urban Beekeeping Threatened in Auckland

Urban Beekeeping Banned
Another threat to Urban Beekeeping in Auckland has been discovered, please make a submission before it affects you! [...]

7 Comments

13
Jul
What’s Blooming at kiwimana HQ? – Apiary Bee friendly Plants

Red-Rose
A little update from Margaret on the Apiary and whats blooming at kiwimana HQ. [...]

1 Comment

12
Jun
Moving Beehives

Moving Beehives is an essential skill for any beekeeper to master. Here is how we move Beehives. [...]

7 Comments

15
May
How to Clean Beeswax

How To Clean Beeswax - Here is the steps we use to Clean beeswax. The beeswax can then be used in candles or cosmetic products. [...]

11 Comments

17
Apr
How To Make Seed Bombs

Seed bombs can simplify the task of filling any empty space with flowers. This post tells you how to become a Guerilla Gardener and make seed bombs and more. [...]

2 Comments

14
Apr
How to Build Beehive Frames

Beehive Frames - How to build Beehive Frames, here is how we manually build Beehive frames at kiwimana. [...]

2 Comments

09
Apr
Abandoned Lot
Guerilla Gardening … in High-Tech Form?

Abandoned Lot
Guerilla gardening is taking a new approach - modern guerilla gardeners are using high tech methods that make their work easier and [...]

02
Apr
Wasps in your beehive – A Robbing Screen may help

Wasps in your beehive - A Robbing Screen may help, we discuss using our Robbing Screen to deter Wasps and Honey Bees robbing your Bees. [...]

4 Comments

03
Mar
infested ! … with Varroa !!

New Drone with 4 Varroa
A Bee Colony is with a Varroa infestation threat discovered by Margaret in routine apiary inspection. [...]

5 Comments

20
Feb
How to use the Kiwi Oxalic Acid Vaporizer with Video

We have had great success with using the vaporizer to control varroa mites in our bee colonies, in this article we discuss the method involved in treating your bee hives successfully. [...]

11 Comments

13
Feb
Has it all just become too much?

Too Much? A tale of woe and despair, an update on what is happening at kiwimana and what we are doing to fix this [...]

5 Comments

03
Feb
….bzzz….what to do when you have grumpy bees….

photo credit: operabug via photopin cc
Angry Bees, some things to think about before re-queening. Margaret talks about some reasons why your bees [...]

5 Comments

29
Jan
Powdered Sugar Shake – Counting Varroa Mites using icing sugar

Powdered sugar shake - How to do a Powdered sugar shake to check the count of varroa mites living in your bee colony. A Step by step guide with thresholds. [...]

5 Comments

16
Jan
Margaret and Gary 2013
Time to Reflect on kiwimana

Gary and Margaret_small
Time to Reflect - This post is about our reflections on the year that has gone by with a listing [...]

2 Comments

19
Dec
What’s Happening in Karen’s Garden?

Karen Perri
Karen is a great gardener and guest writer who loves ‘real food’ so grows her own vegetables that she uses to [...]

18
Dec
Different Types Of Beehives in Britain

In this article we discuss the different types of beehives available to beekeepers these days in Britain and the pros and cons of each type. [...]

14 Comments

03
Dec
How to make a Beehive Box – A Step by Step Guide

How to make a Beehive Box - An article about how we make Macrocarpa hive boxes at kiwimana. With tips on how to assemble your Beehive boxes. [...]

17 Comments

28
Nov
Paraffin Wax and It’s uses in Beekeeping

Paraffin Wax and its uses for the beekeeper, it's used by commercial beekeepers to disinfect hive parts that are infected by the American Foul Brood (AFB) virus. [...]

8 Comments

27
Nov
Tips on Public Relations for Backyard Beekeepers

photo credit: dphiffer via photopin cc
It's important to be a successful beekeeper! Here's some great tips on how to do your PR. [...]

21
Nov
Kiwi Oxalic Acid Vaporizer – Used to combat Varroa Destructor Mites

Kiwi Oxalic Acid Vaporizer
We have launched a new product this week, the "Kiwi Oxalic Acid Vaporizer". A new tool in the fight [...]

16
Nov
What is a Queen Castle?
November 10, 2013

Buzzingham Palace with Roof
What is a Queen Castle and how can you use one to raise Queen Bees. [...]

8 Comments

Bee Frame Making Jig – Makes Assembling frames Easy

What is a Bee Hive Frame jig and how can it help you assemble frames easier and quicker. [...]

2 Comments

28
Oct
What do you use for Bee Smoker Fuel?

We were asked the other day, What do you use for Bee Smoker Fuel? We answer that and also discuss coffee sacks. [...]

4 Comments

21
Oct
Bee Hive Stand – Introducing the kiwimana Hive Stand

Mock up of stand with Bee Hive
Hive Stand - What is a hive stand and do I really need one for my Bees [...]

6 Comments

17
Oct
Borage – Why Is It So Good For Bees?

Borage - The history of this great plant that bees all around the world love. If you want to help the bees plant some borage for them. Read this [...]

22 Comments

14
Oct
Bee swarms – How to deal with them

002 Swarm
In this article Margaret goes further into swarms and how as a beekeeper you can reduce the chances of your colonies [...]

13 Comments

10
Oct
Dangerous Extractors – KM031

In this weeks beekeeping podcast we are talking about Fake Honey, Extractors and trickery at the Supermarket. [...]

2 Comments

09
Oct
2013 Spring is here – Part 4

Bee Closeup
In the fourth part of Margaret's series about the start to the Bee Season at kiwimana HQ. Some great photos [...]

03
Oct
What to Look For During a Hive Inspection

Beehives being inspected
What to Look For During a Hive Inspection? Here are the top things we look for when doing a hive inspection. [...]

2 Comments

30
Sep
How to use a Timms Trap

Timms Traps In this article we explain how to set a Timms Trap to trap Possums on your property. These trap are an [...]

26
Sep
Spring is a Sprunging! – KM029

In this podcast we discuss our spring build up in New Zealand, fears about Urban Beekeeping and Drawing Comb video. [...]

11
Sep
2013 Spring is here – Part 2

Margaret Checks Remuera 1
Margaret continues her series of blog posts about what we doing to get ready for the bee season. [...]

06
Sep
Bee Pollen Benefits – What are the Health Benefits of Bee Pollen?

Bee Pollen
Bee Pollen Benefits - Bee pollen has been touted as a nutritious food for quite some time. But what are [...]

31
Aug
Beekeeping Equipment
Spring Preparations

Beeginuzz Kits
A blog post about how we are all preparing for the New Zealand Beekeeping Season starting in Spring. [...]

29
Aug
Lucas Blair and the Lost Bee – KM028

This week we are talking to Lucas Blair from Little Bird Games. Lucus is developing an interactive ebook for children called the “The Lost bee”. Please check it out… [...]

2 Comments

26
Aug
Two easy recipes with honey

HoneySpicedGlazedPork In this article Emma shows how to create two nice meals using Honey, Honey Pecan pie and Honey Spiced Glazed Pork Chops. [...]

3 Comments

22
Aug
Learning at the Franklin Bee Club
August 18, 2013

Garham W examines Brood Frame We went along to the Franklin Bee Club, We had a great time and learned some great tips. [...]

Chat with Robin Bedard from Canada – KM027

We had a chat with Robin Bedard from Canada about Beekeeping, Bears and controlling Varroa Mites. [...]

2 Comments

15
Aug
How to use a Queen Excluder

Queen Excluder

Queen Excluders, what are there and what can you use them for in the beekeeping world. [...]

2 Comments

08
Aug
What to do with your bees when you go on holidays

photo credit: besar bears via photopin cc</a
In this article James talks about What to do with your bees or other pets when you [...]

05
Aug

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