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Beekeeping can be a highly rewarding hobby. Beyond producing delicious honey, bees play a vital role in pollinating plants, which helps sustain local ecosystems and biodiversity. We recommend joining your local Amateur Beekeepers Australia if you are interested in starting your own hive. Joining your local Amateur Beekeeping Association is an excellent way to gain beekeeping skills to assist you in your hobby. You will have access to a range of useful resources and receive support and encouragement from fellow enthusiastic and knowledgeable beekeepers.
In NSW, all beekeepers need to adhere to the Australian Honey Bee Industry Code of Practice and register their hives.
Varroa mite is now considered established in NSW. A Transition to Management plan was approved in February 2024 which plans to increase resilience and minimise ongoing impacts of varroa mite naturalisation across Australia's bee and pollination-dependent industries.
As a result, there are no longer restrictions on movement of bees and hives within NSW, however beekeepers must regularly inspect their hives for pests and diseases and report any detections of varroa mite. Varroa mite transition to management has more information on this topic.
While most native bees do not produce honey, they are recognised as more efficient pollinators for certain plants because they have co-evolved with local flora and are crucial for maintaining local biodiversity. Native bees generally require less maintenance compared to Honey bees. Many species are solitary and do not need the same level of care or intervention. Many native bee species do not sting, making them safer to keep in suburban areas.
Discover more about Native bees
Swarming typically occurs in the spring and early summer when the weather is warm, and flowers are abundant. If you see a swarm, just leave them alone, the swarm is generally not aggressive, as they are focused on finding a new home rather than defending a hive.
We are occasionally required to remove swarms on public reserves or in areas where they pose a risk to community safety. If you are interested in removing swarms from Council land, please register your interest at our Local Beekeeper Database.
If you have found a swarm of bees on your property, a local beekeeper may be able to catch and remove it for you.