The Journal of the Victorian Apiarists' Association
Welcome to the April Bendigo Branch Report. This is being written as the weather cools down to single digits at night and the trees are well into Autumn shutdown, with a splash of colour. Brood size is shrinking in the hives and most of the drones are gone. The last month has seen some changes … Read more
Central Victoria has seen sporadic flowering of grey box mid to late March, with some red bottlebrush (Callistemon) observed flowering in late March, unusual for this time of year. I suspect the weather has the local flora second guessing itself. Thankfully the earlier rains have so far promoted continued growth on quite a few tree … Read more
Reported positive Varroa mite tests represented by the yellow “present” hexagons on the BeeMAX Varroa map https://bees.agriculture.vic.gov.au/Public/Varroa are now joining up across Bendigo showing that Varroa is fairly widespread throughout Bendigo, surrounding districts in late January 2026 and, in my apiary. Either you have Varroa and have found it, have Varroa and don‘t know it, … Read more
Happy New Year, wishing you a great year in your beekeeping. The next Bendigo branch meeting is on Wednesday the 4th of February at the Lakeside Hotel 286 Napier Street Bendigo. Meeting from 7pm and meals from 6pm, please email Peta bbvaasecretary@gmail.com if you are having a meal, by the first Monday of the month. … Read more
