Sightseesteph

It is said that the number of hobby beekeepers in Australia have skyrocketed over the past few years, with many taking it up during the course of lockdowns and restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. What is it like looking after hundreds, thousands, of these creatures?

We tried our hand at a beekeeping experience with a local beekeeper, Nathan, from Maya Xala Honey. Based at a peaceful garden and wellness centre in Melbourne, named Rivers of Yarrambat (about 35 minutes from Melbourne CBD), we had the opportunity to suit up in protective gear, light up a bee smoker and open a hive. The 2 hour session included a lunch from the onsite Rivers café and sample of honey in refreshing drink form.

Nathan is passionate about beekeeping and it showed. There are over 30,000 species of bees, and just like breeds of cats or dogs, their characteristic looks and temperament are different based on the species. It is worth noting that depending on the species, the way in which they pollinate can differ as well. We worked with European honeybees, which have been domesticated to be gentle and easy to work with. Nathan assured us that no one has yet been stung in one these sessions (so far).

The bees are fairly self-sufficient; only requiring you to check on the hives every few months. But in doing so, you are able to get about 30 litres of honey from a hive per year. There is a lot to learn about the role they play in the environment and food production, how they communicate through scents and dances, and their day-to-day business and roles in the hive.

What I found most interesting is that bees are highly democratic. As scout bees go out, they weigh up their options on new nest sites by their size or presence of surrounding flowers, and report back for voting through intricate dance.

It was a wonderful time and we left knowing a lot more about bees. If you are interested or want an opportunity to learn and try out beekeeping, this is the chance. There were participants in the group who joined as an introduction and asked questions about choosing a type of hive before committing to the hobby.

This experience is based in Melbourne (linked below), but there may be something similar near you!