The leading journal for Australian beekeepers.
The Australian Bee Journal is the official publication of the Victorian Apiarists’ Association, the respected voice advocating for the industry and protecting the interests of all Victorian beekeepers. The ABJ has been documenting Australian beekeeping since 1918 and seeks to publish contributions dealing with all aspects of apiculture—from honey production to biosecurity and pollination.
Latest Articles
Almond Pollination 2026
A Changing Landscape By Lindsay Callaway, Commercial Beekeeper As another almond pollination season draws to a close, beekeepers are doing what we alw
President’s Report
From the Back Fence to the Front Line of Food Security By Lindsay Callaway, President, Victorian Apiarists’ Association There is something fitting abo
Don’t be surprised by AFB this spring
Shannon Holt, Bee Biosecurity Officer, Western Australia (DPIRD WA) Spring is one of the busiest times in the apiary. Spring build-up…or hidden troubl
John Edmonds’ Monthly Diary
August 2026 By John Edmonds I have been away for 3 weeks visiting Queensland and inland New South Wales. We visited friends in Toowoomba and enjoyed h
VAA Victorian Bee Resilience Network
VBRN: the discussion continues VAA Board endorses a time-limited scoping and consultation phase By Mark Bichan, VAA Board member In the last edition o
VAA Resources Report
Central District – August 2026 By Matt Lorenz It was a strong second half of the season in the Central District, especially for ironbark, which put on
A Bird’s-Eye View of Almond Pollination
My First Almond Orchard Experience By Jana Hamilton There is something quite extraordinary about seeing an almond orchard in full bloom for the first
Planned burning and bushfire risk
Are we asking the right questions? By Karl Just Planned burning is widely used to reduce bushfire risk, but its effects on fuel can vary markedly betw
Spider Venom vs Varroa
By Kris Fricke Researchers in Queensland have found spider venom peptides that kill 100% of varroa and 0% of honey bees.1 This is obviously a good thi
VAA Chemical Working Group
September 2026 The VAA Chemical Working Group continues to work directly with Agriculture Victoria on the implementation of the department-led Industr
Replacing sugar with honey in any recipe
By Kris Fricke I’m not much of a cook, and therefore when I do, I usually follow the instructions with rigorous accuracy until undone by some detail t