John Burnet talked about his bees
Some 30 years ago, our speaker tonight, John Burnet, acquired a single beehive, and this introduced him to the exciting world of bees and the consequent growth of his hive holding to twenty-four. This hive empire, which is urban-based, produces about 200 kg of honey in a year and John consumes some himself and then sells the surplus on the local market.
Bees are essential for pollination in agriculture and horticulture and so, in 1839, Mary Bumby managed to establish two hives in the Hokianga (imagine the issues around bringing hives on a sailing ship from the other side of the world!) and then commercial beekeeping was established in 1878.
Most bees in New Zealand are honeybees (an Italian variety) although there are less social and shorter living native bees and smaller numbers of other introduced bees.
We have the highest number of hives per capita in the world with 885,160 registered hives with 10,340 beekeepers managing them.
Hive production has decreased over the years as commercial production has increased and the workload for managing hives has increased because of the establishment of varroa mites throughout the country.
We all know about the pampered life a Queen bee leads but of interest was the fact that any worker bee can be transformed into a queen if the need arises. The queen also, by choice, chooses the sex of her offspring.
Worker bees are infertile females, and they work a punishing schedule during their life that can last from six weeks to six months in the winter. It is all work and no play.
The drones are indolent males; however, there is a certain brutality to life as they are thrown out in winter when the hive population declines from around 60,000 to 20,000 and their sexual abilities are no longer in demand.
There is considerable interest in having bees in an urban environment and brightly coloured hives can be seen in many locations. If you have wondered why the multi-colour hives exist, the answer is it helps the bees find their home after a hard day in the field.
There are many plants that can be used to attract bees which are in everyone’s interest but the tip that found the most favour was to let your lawn grow longer by mowing less frequently.
Poll: Should we ditch daylight saving? 🕰️
First introduced in New Zealand in 1927 with the passing of the Summer Time Act, it's what we know as 'Daylight Saving' and this year it ends on the first Sunday in April.
While we do get to sleep in this time around, some people would like to scrap the clock tinkering for good.
And why? Some evidence suggests the time changes are bad for our health as they mess with sleep patterns leading to short-term fatigue and affecting mood. Meanwhile the hour change is frustrating for farmers and a nightmare for getting the littlies to sleep. But what's your take?
-
41.1% Yes - get rid of the clock changes
-
57.3% No, I enjoy it
-
1.5% Other - I'll share below
We're taking the bus!
The number of Wellingtonians taking the bus and train rose by 3% last week compared to the same time last year, according to Metlink.
Not surprising given petrol prices at the moment. But if you're considering giving up your car commute for a leisurely bus ride in the mornings, it would be worth it.
It's about to get even easier: In April, e-pay will be launched, meaning you can tap on with your credit cards as well as smart devices.
It's better on the environment too: With most Metlink trains running on electricity, 25% of the bus fleet being EV’s and the Ika Rere electric ferry, Metlink is able to move more people using less fuel than any other transport option.
With fuel costs so high, it's a good idea to jump on board if you can. If you've become a public transport convert recently, how have you found it?
Poll: How important is the ability to book a doctor’s appointment online?
Hi Neighbours
Here at The Doctors we would love to hear how you prefer to book your doctor’s appointments. With busy schedules, different people find different methods easier.
For some, online booking is very convenient, you can make an appointment anytime without needing to wait on the phone. Others still prefer calling the clinic and speaking to a real person, especially if they have specific questions about their visit.
Your feedback helps us understand what works best for our patients and how we can improve access to care.
-
41.1% I prefer booking online whenever possible
-
23.4% Online booking is helpful but not essential
-
32% I prefer calling the clinic
-
3.5% I didn’t know online booking was available
Loading…
