Recipes
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Beetopia New Zealand - "All things Bees" is located just outside of Matakana, at 158 Omaha Flats Road where onsite you will find:
Our beekeeping supplies showroom
Ability to purchase equipment including everything you need to get setup as a new beekeeper (bees, hiveware, suits, tools etc.) or to grow your existing apiary. Order placement to secure bees from our local bee breeder
The Beetopia Apiary and classroom training facility
Accommodation options - for overnight stays at our "Bee & Bee" for anyone who may be travelling from out of town.
Our next beginners courses will be held from September 2019 with a local beekeeper. The course provides the basics required for hive management at an introductory level and includes:
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bee recognition (distinction between worker / nurse / drone / queen bees )
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distinction between honey / nectar / capped honey
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the all important "life cycle of the bee"
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understanding how to use bee hive equipment
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advice on how to register your beehives and mandatory requirements for beekeepers in New Zealand
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Hands-on-lesson in hives
The courses run in small numbers with a total of 5 students per course. We believe this adds value giving attendees plenty of hands on time in the hives and the ability to ask one on one
questions with our instructor.
2019 beginner’s beekeeping course dates
As my courses are weather dependant and spring in Aotearoa is notoriously unpredictable, therefore bear in mind please if the weather is wet and/or too windy we cannot open the hives and therefore are obliged to postpone course dates.
Courses are held on Saturday mornings from 9 am - 12.30 noon in Matakana. Tea & Coffee & Honey drinks provided during morning break. Honey Tasting and Equipment overview at end of course.
Protective Beekeeping Clothing & Gloves provided
Cost per person $150 plus GST
Payment required before commencing the course.
Payment details provided upon confirming course date.
Beginner Beekeeping Course Dates
September 28th
October 5th - 19th - 26th
November 9th -16th - 23rd -30th
December 7th 14th
January 18th - 25th
February 1st - 15th - 22nd - 29th
March 14th -28th
Stockroom
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Beekeeping protective clothing for adults and children all sizes
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Beekeeping gloves all sizes
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Smokers
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Hive tools
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Nuc boxes
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Frame holders
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Top feeders
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Wooden frames
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Plastic frames
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Wax foundation full depth & three quarters
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Supers
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Supers full depth
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Hive mats / lids / bases
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Queen excluders - plastic / metal
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Queen catchers
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Queen marking pens
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Queen rearing equipment
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Honey extraction equipment
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Bees for sale
The Worker
My daughter Michelle is a budding beekeeper and often helps me in our apiaries plus she’s great at taking meticulous notes on what’s happening in each hive and updating our apiary agenda after each inspection. Michelle also helps out in Beetopia’s beekeeping supplies store and holds beeswax wrap courses - in fact her Maori line of wax wraps are very popular. Her 4 year old son Perry Paolo is our youngest and most enthusiastic beekeeper and honey consumer!
The Worker
My daughter Michelle is a budding beekeeper and often helps me in our apiaries plus she’s great at taking meticulous notes on what’s happening in each hive and updating our apiary agenda after each inspection. Michelle also helps out in Beetopia’s beekeeping supplies store and holds beeswax wrap courses - in fact her Maori line of wax wraps are very popular. Her 4 year old son Perry Paolo is our youngest and most enthusiastic beekeeper and honey consumer!
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Planting for Pollinators
01
Diet
Firstly, pollinators like a varied diet just like humans do, so step away from monoculture and embrace diversity. When trying to help pollinators apply pollinator-friendly management practices such as not spraying OR being extra careful when using herbicides on fence lines, drains, field edges, roadsides and waste areas.
02
Seasonal Variety
Pollinators need access to pollen and nectar sources all year especially during their critical periods of late autumn through to late spring. When deciding which plants to choose, make sure you know which natives are local to your area and will actually flourish on your chosen site.
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Pollinators
Here are some NZ native plants that flower when pollinators need them most : Hoheria (lacebark), Whauwhaupaku (five-finger), Horoeka (lancewood), Kōwhai (Sophora), Ti kōuka (Cabbage tree), Ngaio (Myoporum laetum), Brooms (Carmichaelia) , Coprosmas (NZ Laurel), Kānuka (Myrtaceae), Mānuka (Myrtaceae), Kāraka (Corynocarpus), Kōtukutuku (fuschia), Rewarewa (Knightia excelsa), Pittosporum species such as Kohuhu, lemonwood and Karo, Kāmahi (Weinmannia racemosa), Tāwhero (Pterophylla), Koromiko (hebe), and Harakeke (flaxes) .
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Learn more
For more information on planting for bees and which flowers are beneficial throughout the seasons visit