Show Notes
Ben is back, with a new edition of the Bees with Ben podcast! A scheduled break of around 2 weeks
quickly turned into over 3 months, with a hectic season that really finished with a bang. In fact, Ben has
just pulled the last boxes of honey from his hives, with a fantastic season of mealy stringybark
(Eucalyptus cephalocarpa) in the Yarra Valley. Stringybark honey is relatively slow to crystallize, and
Ben has a good income stream selling honeycomb. Much of the demand is in late winter and early
spring (when people start to get hay fever), so to avoid crystallization during storage (crystallized
honey has a sandy texture and is not as attractive on the shelf), Ben freezes the honeycomb, which
does not denature the product and results in perfect honeycomb once thawed.
Ben has also recently been busy controlling European wasps around Melbourne. These pests not
only have a painful sting but can give the local honey bees a hard time. Fortunately, they have a very
limited foraging radius - only about 150 metres - so it is not usually too difficult to locate their nest
sites. European wasps are extremely invasive, and a colony is capable of producing around 50
queens. Plus, they love warm weather, and with Australia heading into a new phase of el nino, it’s
likely to be a very busy season ahead.
After 3 years of wet and windy la nina weather patterns, Australian beekeepers are all too familiar
with the need to provide supplementary food to bees, so it is particularly appropriate that Ben’s
guest in this episode is George from Mineral Bee (www.mineralbee.com.au). Although now a
resident of Sydney’s northern beaches, George originally hails from Limerick in Ireland; he
remembers being fascinated by his neighbour’s beekeeping activities, and acquired his first hive at
the age of 8. He explains that in Ireland, honey bees hibernate during winter, and the hives are
constructed somewhat differently to cope with the colder environment. Irish bees are adapted to
the climate and are quite black and a little more aggressive than Australian honey bees. In Ireland it
is impossible to avoid supplementary feeding, but sugar syrup alone has none of the minerals and
trace elements present in honey or pollen; Mineral Bee was born out of a desire to create an
additive which would make sugar syrup equivalent to honey. Rather than use synthetic ingredients,
an entirely natural and organic product was developed using minerals and trace elements sourced
from seawater. These are carefully extracted by a process which avoids denaturing or degrading
these essential substances. The result is a product which, when added to sugar syrup or drinking
water at the rate of 10ml per litre, mirrors the mineral and trace element content of pollen and
honey. And the bees love it!
More from Bees With Ben
All good things must (sometimes) pause... and after an incredible journey of conversations, laughter, learning, and buzzing with brilliant guests, this is the final episode of Bees with Ben – at least for a while. In today’s episode, I reflect on the wild ride this podcast has been – from talking bees and biosecurity to sharing stories from the paddock, the lab, and everywhere in between. I’ve had the honour of chatting with amazing beekeepers, scientists, enthusiasts, and friends from around the world – and you, the listeners, have been a huge part of that journey. The truth is, life’s gotten very busy. Between the hives, the honey, the pest control, and being a dad (and sometimes a part-time tow-truck driver when I get bogged on avocado farms), something had to give. And for now, the podcast is taking a well-earned rest. This isn’t goodbye forever – just a little smoke break. So keep the mic warm for me, and who knows – a surprise episode might pop up when you least expect it. Thanks for every listen, share, message, and moment. Keep supporting your local bees, your local beekeepers, and stay curious. With gratitude and a sticky handshake, – Ben 🐝
Guest: Norm Collins – Seven Decades in Beekeeping In this special episode, I chat with Norm Collins, a true pioneer in Australian beekeeping. Once the largest beekeeper in Victoria, Norm recently turned 80, and he joins me to reflect on a lifetime of working with bees. We take a journey back to when Norm received his very first box of bees at just seven years old, and explore how much the world of beekeeping has changed over the past seventy years. From the way hives are managed, to shifting environmental pressures and evolving industry challenges, Norm shares his knowledge, experiences and a few great stories along the way. This episode is a tribute to the past, a nod to the resilience of beekeepers, and a reminder of how much we can learn from those who have spent a lifetime in the field. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your beekeeping community. https://collinshoney.com.au
🎙️ Episode 126 – I’m Back! (Yes, Really!) Welcome back to Bees with Ben – and yes, you heard right… I’M BACK! It’s been a buzzing 12 months since the last episode, and I want to start by saying a huge thank you to everyone who’s stayed subscribed, messaged, or asked, “Where’s the podcast, Ben?” Life got wild – as it often does when you’re juggling bees, business, family, and everything in between – but the mic is back on, and the hive mind is reactivating. In this short but heartfelt solo episode, I check in, catch up, and share what’s been happening behind the scenes. Plus, I give you a sneak peek into what’s coming over the winter months: incredible guests, fascinating beekeeping stories, and some brand-new topics I can’t wait to explore with you. Whether you’re a beekeeper, a bee-lover, or just someone who loves a good yarn – thanks for sticking around. Let’s get this hive humming again. 🐝 What’s Inside: Where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to
Join me on a unique episode of "Bees with Ben" as I take you on a journey to Shepparton!
In this episode, I chat with Sam and Nicholas, the dynamic father-son duo behind Meli Honey. Their journey is a testament to passion, family, and the pursuit of quality. We dive into their fascinating story of importing premium Greek honey to Australia, and how their love for this golden elixir has translated into a thriving business. Just after we wrapped up recording, Sam and Nicholas received the incredible news that Meli Honey had won gold at the London Honey Awards! This accolade is a significant milestone for them and a testament to the exceptional quality of their honey.