I was raised on a sheep and cattle property in central west N.S.W. and kept a few honeybees as a hobby. Dad told me about native bush bees when I was about 10. I wanted some ever since. I studied science and currently work in a biotechnology company. Neither my studies or my work have anything to do with insects or bees. Still, I do have an experimental frame of mind, so I tend to do a bit of informal experimentation with my stingless bees. It's a hobby and I consider it fun. I get a little honey which I share with friends. I'm selling a few beehives set up so people can see inside & really enjoy them.

Bees in the cold

Bees in the cold Guest post written by Dean Haley Stingless bees are widely regarded as being unable to control nest temperature like honey bees do. For the vast majority of stingless bees this is very true. Some species however, such as our T.carbonaria and A.australis extend into temperate areas with colder Winters and frosts.…

Marking bees for experiments

Marking bees for experiments Guest post by Dean Haley   Marking bees for experiments Nick came up with an ingenious method for watching native bee behaviour. Non toxic pigments are put in a jar, which catches bees leaving a nest. The inspiration for this was the tales of Aboriginals coating bees in flour to track…

Tetragonula hockingsi

Tetragonula Hockingsi   Guest post by Dean Haley   Tetragonula Hockingsi is a tropical to sub tropical bee found in coastal areas of Queensland and also the Nothern Territory. They have a population 20 to 50% larger than typical Tetragonula carbonaria. They are living large in sunny QLD. The major characteristics of hockingsi are the…