The local group understands the urgent need to preserve the Australian honey industry by educating local beekeepers and encouraging good beekeeping practice in the Shoalhaven.

Treasurer Ron Witz said it was important for the public to be aware of the threats to Australian bee colonies.

“We will hopefully educate new beekeepers and try to find a lot more information to help experienced beekeepers,” Mr Witz said. 

“Things are changing all the time. At the moment the diseases we are trying to keep out of Australia are the biggest problems we face.” 

The much publicised varroa mite poses a deadly threat to the bee population. 

Australia is the only country in the world which doesn’t have the destructive parasite and, according to Mr Witz, it boasts the cleanest bees in the world.

“[Varroa mite] arrived in Brisbane about eight weeks ago in a reel of cable. Fortunately, they found it and destroyed it but how long was it there before they found it?

“The mite lands on the thorax of the bee and starts eating it. Then it lays in the pupae so they are eventually used as food for the next generation of varroa mite. 

“From there it multiplies very quickly, they are just about impossible to control.”

Association members also want the public to understand what they can do to support thebee industry by avoiding using pesticides on their garden.

“We want the public to understand when they spray insecticides on flowers, the next thing that arrives is a bee then the bee takes it back to their hive and passes it onto the colony. 

“There is so much happening these days with bees we’ve got to be on top of our game.”

The group is hoping to jump on the bandwagon at a time when society is more curious than ever about the origins of food by inviting people to attend its open day this weekend, where members will conduct a beekeeping demonstration to show people how their favourite spread is made.

“We will be demonstrating hives in an enclosed mesh area and selling honey from the first hive the organisation was donated, we have about 28kg of honey to sell out of that one hive,” Mr Witz said. 

“People who come will be advised to wear long trousers and no perfume or deodorant – bees hate it and will attack. 

“Although they don’t like body odour either so they can be hard to please,” he chuckled.

Mr Witz cautioned against rushing out and buying your own beehive for the backyard without first speaking with an experienced beekeeper and warned of the dangers for novice apiarists.

“There’s a lot of new technology coming out, there’s the new flow hive, where you turn the handle and the honey flows. 

“But there’s a lot of misinformation given with that as well. You need to protect yourself, anaphylactic shock can set in very quickly, particularly if they sting you around your head.” 

The open day will be held on Saturday, July 11, at Jim Da Silva Farm, 38 Old Bamarang Road, West Nowra starting at 9.30am.