Kremen Lab Group : “In California, our recent findings show that a diverse community of native bee pollinators can provide sufficient pollination services for crops without the addition of managed colonies of honey bees (Kremen et al. 2002), but that this service critically depends on the availability of natural habitat in proximity to the farm site (Kremen et al. 2004). Farm management (organic versus conventional) may also influence the diversity and abundance of native bees found on farms.”  taken from Current Projects at Dr. Kremen’s (University of California, Berkeley, USA) research website

Did you watch Channel Nine’s Sixty Minute Program on sunday evening- Bee Afraid ? (11th May 2008)

The story was about Australian Bees, the work of the CSIRO , and the challenge to bees worldwide concerning a little parasitic mite Varroa destructor .

Varroa destructor – search results at bluecray environmental search engine

Watching the local honey bees, buzzing about the garden, I find it hard to imagine that these tireless workers in my garden face such a peril as Varroa destructor. The tenacious parasitic mite has swept the world over the past decade, and now appears to be firmly at Australia’s doorstep (that includes the Mt Warning Caldera Region).

A few years back, ABC Landline also did a BEES program – Honey Industry Under Pressure (1st May, 2005) .

It seems that the complex ecosytems and ecological habitats, (that we Australians are so busy altering and re-arranging), may hold dire consequences for bees in general.

Native bees produce yummie honey too! See ABC Landline’s program “Sweet Success” (12th February, 2006)

Native Australian Bees are different species to the introduced honey bees.

Native Bees don’t sting like the introduced honey bee does. Many bees, both native and introduced (stinging) honey bees, pollinate not only our crops (food), but the trees, shrubs and herbs in our native Australian bushland and forests. Flowering native trees such as the Yellow Box , and many other Eucalypts , are well known for the commercial honey that bees produce from their flowers.

Native black bee 16.3.2009 Organic garden, Burringbar NE NSW Australia

Biodiversity principles and biodiversity advocacy can help create a vision where bees, regional biodiversity and regional mixed crop cultures succeed. Protecting and conserving the biodiverse areas left in the Mt Warning Caldera Region is an ongoing process. Enhancing those areas of resilient habitat with ecological buffers, corridors, sound land stewardship, educational outreach & networking is a mammoth task, but nature, itself, is awesome, and actually does most of the work!

• The Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research and the Australian National Herbarium have botanical information on Australian Eucalypts (NSW).

• QLD Government Biodiversity Information at the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (Nature Conservation)

• NSW Government Biodiversity Research Network Newsletters – and some historical newsletters

• NE NSW Ecosystem Management, Ecology & Bees – current research – by Associate Professor Caroline Gross
• Byron Shire Echo Article May 13th 2008 (p15) – “Vital role for our native bees” – to find out more, visit the Shearwater Steiner School (Left Bank Road, Mullumbimby, NE NSW) on Sunday June 1st 2008 for the 3rd Brunswick Valley Nature Festival – a World Environment Day event sponsored by Brunswick Valley Landcare Inc. The theme of the Nature Festival will be BIODIVERSITY, and includes talks on native bees and their role in agriculture and biodiversity.
• Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group – Australian Native Bee Rescue (Newsletter March 2005) – (I can no longer find references for this article on their website -Nov 2009)
• Bangalow’s Heartbeat (or via bangalow.com) – Australian Native Bees – article by Frank Adcock (March 2004)

• Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC) Honeybee Research

Introduced Honey Bee on Sunflower, NE NSW, Australia

a few more BEE links

• Australian Native Bees – discussions, hive information and more for those interested in keeping Australian Native Bees

• Australian Honey Bee Industry Council -

• Beekeepers Associations’ at Honeybee.com.au -

• Overview of feral and managed honeybees in Australia : distribution, abundance, extent of interactions with native biota, evidence of impacts and future research / by David C. Paton ISBN 064221381X  with Australian Nature Conservation Agency 1996

• Introduced honey bees can form nests away from commercial hives.

• Introduced honey bees and small hive beetle ( Aethena tumida )

• Queensland Bee Keeping Information –  URBAN BeeKeeping and RURAL Beekeeping –  Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries ( DPIE )

• National Parks Association of Queensland Inc – Policy on Bees -

• Bee Keeping – New South Wales  Department of Primary Industries SEARCH

• Life Unseen – Bees Wasps & Sawflies – Nick Monaghan’s Australian Insect photography

Introduced Honey Bee covered in Pumpkin Flower Pollen – Buringbar, NE NSW, Australia

and now, time for something else that’s YUMMIE !

chocolate banana honey wraps

INGREDIENTS

you will need (serves 4):

• 8 spring roll sheets

• 4 baby finger bananas, peeled

• quality dark chocolate (about 1/3 of a block), cut in squares

• 4 tablespoons of honey (more if you wish)

• fresh sunflower oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Separate spring roll sheets, two at a time (double thickness).

2. Slice each banana in half, lengthways & place both halves in the middle of spring roll sheets (double layered).

3. Place cut up chocolate squares (3 squares will do) in the middle of the sliced banana.

4. Spread or pour honey over the spring roll sheet, around the banana/chocolate.

5. Roll up sheet, around banana, folding in edges, till in a rolled/wrap shape. Wet edge of spring roll sheet to help stick the edges together, at the last turn.

6. Repeat for all bananas & spring roll sheets.

7. Heat oil in pan till hot, fry lightly all sides of the wrapped up banana until golden brown (only takes a few minutes to cook).

8. Drain, and serve with greek yoghurt and fresh strawberries. Best eaten warm.

Introduced Honey Bee on Sunflower, NE NSW, Australia

Sydney Morning Herald Article 18th August 2010 about the Bee killing varroa mite and its potential to kill introduced honey bees, thus impacting on Australian Horticultural Cropping Systems.