
You can download the podcast directly HERE, or click on the play button above. Feel free to share it with your friends.
Welcome To the kiwimana buzz…
Hi, it’s Gary and Margaret here, We are beekeepers from the hills of the Waitakere Ranges in West Auckland, New Zealand. Our podcast is about beekeeping, Gardening and bit of politics about environmental issues. We also have been known to go off on tangents about other issues.
What’s happening at kiwimana
Gary
- Wow almost got to 10,000 downloads on the podcast in May!!!
- Google “Beekeepers Hangouts”?, you can find the next one HERE, watch the last one HERE.
- Season ending soon, Winter break starts today 🙂
Margaret
- Hives closed down for winter, lots of robbing going on…
- We have lost hives due to Robbing Incidences
- Season very strange this year in New Zealand
- Check Your Bees Food Levels
- Ensure your hives are leaning forward to stop any puddles forming in your hives
- Ensure you check your mite levels over the winter month
Blog Recap
- Beekeeper Linda – We chat with Linda Tillman – KM047
- Megan Paska – The Rooftop Beekeeper – KM048
- How To Move A Beehive

Special Mention:-
Michael Bush – Treatment Free Beekeeping – KM049
News Topics
How do I become…a beekeeper

Camilla Goddard was sitting in a deckchair when she experienced what most people would frantically air slap away, but she took it as a career omen. “As I was chatting to my friend, a honeybee landed on one hand and a bumblebee on the other.
How do I become…a beekeeper
Researchers identify bee friendly plants

Researchers identify bee friendly plants
You can find the Tree for Bees site HERE.
This New Finding Explains Why Bees Are Disappearing

This New Finding Explains Why Bees Are Disappearing
Save the bees, but maybe not this way
An article from Amy Parachnowitsch about here views on new Avaaz.org campaign
Amy writes…I’m all for saving bees. Heck they’re some of the most important players in the plant systems I study. No bees means no sex for my plants, so there’s that. And I generally have a soft spot for bees. While I was an undergraduate my first real experience in research was working in Mark Winston’s bee lab. I was one of those all round research assistants who moved between projects as the need arose. It was a great experience and the fact that I’m still doing research speaks to that. Maybe it is why I have gone on to study mainly bee-pollinated plants but that is speculation for another day.
Save the bees, but maybe not this way
Do you agree with Amy, please comment below:-
Huge wasp numbers concern

Huge wasp numbers concern
Honey industry to benefit from new three-in-one manuka test
New Zealand honey industry to benefit from new three-in-one manuka test New Zealand’s honey industry can now test manuka honey faster and more cost effectively than ever before thanks to a new three-in-one test introduced by the country’s leading analytical testing laboratory, Hill Laboratories.
Honey industry to benefit from new three-in-one manuka test
Questions from you…
- Do bee hives keep wasps away? Raymound – Virginia, United States
- How to deal with wasp in your honey bees? – Kat – Wellington, New Zealand
- What to do when your beehive is overrun with wasps? – Eliot – British Columbia, Canada
- Do robbing screens work? – Alicia – Auckland, New Zealand

If you have a question, email [email protected] and the team at kiwimana will do our best to answer it. Feel free to also email us MP3 files of your questions.
Rik Mayall Passing
Rik Mayall from Young Ones fame passed away this week 🙁
Blog Post Coming Soon
- Beekeeping Courses Coming up
- New Zealand based Podcasts
Feedback from you guys!!!
Sue
Really interesting, really helpful to have reminders about what needs doing.
Itunes Review and Stitcher Reviews
HoneybeesinJapan (Japan) – Great Podcast Guys !!!
Rating: 5 Stars
I’m an American living in Japan and I really enjoy listening to your podcast. As a fourth year beekeeper in Japan, I really appreciate the interesting topics and the fun light-hearted atmosphere. I also enjoy hearing your New Zealand accents. I have six hives now and am hoping for a great honey flow this year. Thanks for your great podcast.
Snow*Cloud (Great Britain) – Brilliant and relevant world-wide
Rating: 5 Stars
Superb beekeeping podcast from this pair of beekeepers talking about their experiences in beekeeping, collecting swarms, dealing with other beekeepers and their views on beekeeping topics – I am in the UK and even though their beekeeping season is in reverse to mine, their content is great and their presentation is cheery and informative. Often they have good guests too, from around the world, adding their experience to the show. Really worth a listen.
From Stitcher:-
Mark D. Rea · West Virginia University
Phenomenal podcast about the important topic of bees. Presented with engaging conversations and great tips for beginners! Highly recommend for the serious or hobbyist or interested beekeeper!
Please review our podcast on itunes? https://kiwimana.co.nz/iTunes.
[endofpodcast]
Hey this was a great find. I really enjoyed your podcaste. Just found it via http://search.genieo.com/
As a second year keeper in the Solomon Islands I have been hunting for more non-North American / closer to home bee news.
I’m glad we don’t have your issues with wasps, but I picked up some great tips on robbing evidence that I will remember.
Warm regards,
from the tropics
Patrick
Hi Patrick,
That is fantastic that you found us, and thanks for listening to the podcast.
I have never heard of Genieo.com I will have to check it out.
Do you have varroa in the Solomon Islands? And what kind of bees do you have there, are there the Asian honey bees?
Yes hopefully you don’t get the wasps like we do, it can a real pain. Wasps here have no natural enemies, so people have to try and control them.
Thanks again for listening and please consider subscribing to the show.
Gary Fawcett
Hi,
What a refreshing informative chat-cast. 7 million stars.
I have a topic if u havn’t covered it before.
Do you replace a frame or two of brood each year?
p.s. I’m telling everyone at Beekeepers’ Society how awesome you guys are.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beekeepers-Society-of-South-Australia-BSSA/649012425108872
Congrats on 50 podcasts.
Thanks you Noel for the feedback and comment, we are glad you like the show.
Wow 7 million stars; we are very chuffed with that amount 🙂
Yes we do replace frames on a regular basis; yes I will add that to question part of the next show. We normally replace them after a couple of years.
We used to stamp the date on frames, but we have been a little slack with that process last season.
Cheers for telling everyone at your Beekeepers Society about us, feel free to burn some cd’s of our show to give out.
I will check out your facebook page.
Thanks
Gary Fawcett