'If the bee is, as the French say, "the sentinel of the environment", then the fact that large numbers of bee colonies are perishing around the world is an alarming sign that we must ... attempt to reconnect with a nature that is rapidly disappearing.'
- Tim and Emma Malfroy, Natural Beekeeping Australia
Carmen and Todd paid a visit to our home and assessed the garden for suitability for a hive. Sadly, our kitchen garden is the best spot for a hive and the bee flight path would have made tending the beds very difficult. We are disappointed, but keen to encourage others to become involved in the Canberra Urban Honey Project. 'Like you, Lizzy, a lot of people have wanted to have hives, but we're being careful to choose sites that will be best for the bees. That means being patient while we find the right location for urban bees,' she said. The 'right location' has an impact on the health of the bee colony because of the way sun and shade affect heat and ventilation in the hive.
Urban beekeeping and urban agriculture is a worldwide movement as part of sustainable cities. Carmen explained to me that Australian bee husbandry practices are quite different to the rest of the world because we don't have all the pests and diseases that other countries have (such as varroa mite). This means we don't have to feed the bees medication and sugar syrup the way some beekeepers in other countries do. The benefit to beekeepers and the public is that our bee population is faring better when compared to other countries and our honey is of a particularly high quality.
If you are interested in hosting hives in your back garden, first you should consider the following:
- There must be at least two metres clearance to the East and North for the bees flight path
- Consider lifestyle issues such as clotheslines, children's play areas, BBQ area and garden
- The hive needs Eastern (morning) sun and Western shade in the summer, and as much winter sun as possible
- It should be in an area free of draughts or wind tunnels and well drained
- The Canberra Urban Honey team needs easy access to the hive
Hive Hosting is managed in a similar way to commercial beekeeping. The Canberra Urban Honey team will relocate the hive to your property but maintain ownership of it, as well as manage the hive and the colony. When there is honey to harvest, they will also manage the honey extraction process AND (generously, methinks) share the honey with you (3kg per harvest).
Carmen explains the Canberra Urban Honey project here and was also recently interviewed on radio by the ABC. If you think your site may be suitable, contact Carmen and Todd via email.
The buzz, or a few interesting facts...
- Throughout history man has collected honey from beehives
- Rock paintings from the Neolithic period depict men gathering honey
- Aristotle wrote of the bee in the 4th century BC
- Beekeeping was a major rural industry in the Roman Empire
- Honey was used by the ancient Romans to sweeten roasted locusts
- European honeybees were brought to Australia in the 1800s
- Australia's beekeeping industry generates around 5 billion dollars annually
- Bees have a preference for blue, purple and yellow flowers, and enjoy flowers with both nectar and pollen
- Nectar is the juice found in the heart of a flower, pollen is tiny grains found on the stamen of a flower
- Bush fires, floods, droughts pests, disease and insecticides threaten bee populations around the world
- Any insecticide, including pyrethrum, will affect bees in some way, even if minute
- About 65 per cent of the food we grow is dependent upon pollination by bees
- Swarming bees are looking for a new home and not on the attack, however never disturb a swarm
- There are 14 stingless varieties among the 1600 or more species of wild bees native to Australia
- Stingless native bees and the European honeybee happily co-exist
A few of the plants that will attract bees to your garden*...
Other plants to attract bees are:
- Crop plants, such as sunflowers, maize, lucerne and canola
- Australian native plants, such as acacia, callistemon, melaleuca, grevillea, casuarina and pittosporum
- Camellia, wisteria, fruit trees, citrus trees and lavender
- Roses, poppies, daisies, gazanias, pig face and agapanthus
- Herbs, such as rosemary, mint, borage, sage, chervil, coriander and thyme
- Vegetables, including tomatoes, beans and pumpkin
* Source ACT Beekeepers Association and Amazing Bees
For more information about bee friendly planting, there is an informative free PDF download here from the RIRDC.
My mother's Honey Cake...
IREN'S HONEY CAKE (Mézes)
500g jar pure honey*
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 cups plain flour
2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 cup sultanas, chopped
150g light walnuts, crushed
Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Heat the honey in a saucepan, but do not allow it to boil. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the lukewarm milk and add to the honey, stirring until mixture is frothy. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, honey and milk mixture. Add the egg yolks, beating after each addition. Stir in the spices and sultanas. Beat the egg whites till peaks form. Fold into the cake mixture. Pour into a greased and lined 32 x 24 cm lamington or slab tin. Sprinkle liberally with the crushed walnuts. Bake in a moderately slow oven for 30 - 40 minutes till deep in colour and the cake springs back when lightly touched. Allow to cool and cut into small squares/rectangles/diamonds to serve.
*Stringybark honey is great in this recipe. Pure honey = no additives such as glucose or rice syrup, which can be found in some imported honey.
The process in pictures...
Incidentally, if you would like to become involved in urban beekeeping, there are other groups in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as other cities. Search Google and I'm sure you will find something in your part of the world.