Emerald Regional Beekeeping Club

09/05/2026

The world of beekeeping is made up of many…
It takes a community to keep bees…
Conferences are great to showcase innovation and share ideas. Check out the program at this conference and consider the opportunities to learn from others. Now more than ever we will need to support our fellow beekeepers in our community.

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🐝 Early Bird Extended — Don’t Miss Out!

The VAA Annual Conference 2026 is fast approaching.

⏰ Early Bird closes Monday 18 May
🎟️ Registrations are filling quickly
🏨 Limited conference-rate rooms available ($199/night, breakfast included)

Register now:
https://www.vicbeekeepers.com.au/Upcoming-Events

Book accommodation:
https://all.accor.com/a/en.html
Promo code: BGPG

📅 4–6 June 2026 | Novotel Melbourne Airport

11/12/2025

JANUARY 13th 2026 MEETING - registrations required please
Varroa Management Night with Kris Fricke, Senior Varroa Mite Management Officer, National Varroa Mite Management Program

Guests welcome - this is a free community event
https://events.humanitix.com/emerald-regional-beekeepers-varroa-management-info-night

09/12/2025

Wendy the Winner!!! A massive hamper of home made goodies donated by Mark Sorrell. Dave took home a vertical stacking garden donated by Ben & Danni (sorry - missed the photo opportunity).

Our final 2025 meeting was full of celebration and cheer. Each member took home a lovely Emerald Regional Beekeepers pen, and a packet of seeds to create wonderful bee habitat from Veggie & Flower Garden Seeds in Tasmania. A shout out to the lovely Sam and Bec for helping select a favourable selection of species with a significant donation and express postage. Some lucky members took home some raspberry packs donated by Franz.

We played Bee Bingo and Bee Trivia organised by Sue & BJ and enjoyed a selection of yummy foods bought by all.

Thanks to everyone for a great year. We will definitely need each other for support when the dreaded mite reaches us (probably soon). We share super friendship and mentoring- let’s continue that and grow in 2026!!!

05/11/2025

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A queen cell is a special type of wax cell built by honeybees to raise a new queen.
It’s much larger than ordinary worker or drone cells — it looks like a peanut-shaped capsule hanging vertically from the comb.

1. Swarm Cells ( the ones on the photo )
• Purpose: To raise a new queen before part of the colony leaves to swarm.
• Where found: Usually on the bottom edges of brood frames.
• Appearance: Several cells (5–15 or more) neatly built and well-spaced.
• Timing: Made when the colony is strong and crowded, often in late spring or early summer.
• Meaning: Bees are preparing to swarm — part of the colony and the old queen will leave to start a new colony

2. Supersedure Cells
• Purpose: To replace an old or failing queen.
• Where found: In the middle of the comb face, not at the bottom.
• Number: Usually one or two.
• Timing: Happens any time the current queen is weak, poorly mated, or damaged.
• Meaning: Bees are staying in the hive but want a better queen.

3. Emergency Cells
• Purpose: To quickly raise a queen after the old one is lost (killed, died, or removed).
• Where found: Scattered around the brood area — workers convert existing worker cells with eggs or young larvae into queen cells by enlarging them downward.
• Number: Often many, irregularly placed.
• Meaning: The colony is reacting fast to a sudden loss of their queen.

Inside a Queen Cell
• It starts with a fertilized egg, like any worker egg.
• Bees feed that larva royal jelly exclusively (a protein-rich secretion).
• After ~8 days, the cell is capped.
• Around day 16, the new queen emerges.

08/10/2025

*** swarm phone is now operational ***
Congrats and well done!

For Emerald region and surrounds:
SWARM PHONE NUMBER 0491 715 840

All other enquiries should be directed to the group’s email.

Group email: [email protected]

12/08/2025

Channeling home-eco at high school and playdough at kinder…. Tonight we made pollen protein patties to feed bees. Thanks to everyone for participating with such enthusiasm and excitement!