FAQ

Apiculture

The Western Australian apiculture industry is recognized for its high quality honey, and beeswax products.

History shows the West Australian apiculture industry included:

  • Production of about 3,000 tonnes of honey with an estimated farm gate value of A$12 million,
  • Exported about 30 per cent of the States annual honey production
  • Approximately 845 beekeepers with around 34,000 beehives; and
  • The majority of the beekeepers are amateurs owning fewer than 50 beehives and some 150 commercial or semi-commercial beekeepers who own more than 100 beehives.
  • The Western Australian beekeeping industry has access to the State’s famous pristine forests and coastal wildflowers, which are essential for honey production and sustainability of the industry. These areas are free from chemical contamination, which ensures that Western Australia has some unique floral resources resulting in the ability to produce honeys that are not found elsewhere in the World.
  • Apiculture industry in Western Australia is committed to quality assurance and ensuring that products are clean, safe and free from chemical contamination. This commitment offers the apiculture industry a distinct trade advantage in exporting honey, beeswax, bee pollen, package bees, nucleus beehives and queen bees.
  • Several initiatives have been introduced to maintain quality standards and to ensure the State’s bees remain free of bee diseases. A surveillance and monitoring system has been established with funding assistance from the bee industry - Beekeepers Producers’ Committee (APC).
  • A national surveillance program is used at ports to monitor ships and cargo for exotic bees. A state surveillance program is used for inspection and monitoring of apiaries. Early detection of potential threats allows Western Australia to maintain its productivity and quality assurance. The disease free status provides an advantage for the export of hive products, package bees and queen bees.
Why Buy Wescobee Honey?

The question in most people’s minds when buying a different product is “What makes this product better than the one I already know?” Honey is no different.

So what sets Wescobee Honey apart?

The Wescobee Honey Company has been in operation since 1926 and is exclusively owned by Western Australian beekeepers. Today the company continues the long tradition established by its founders, in ensuring a quality honey product is maintained from point of production to the end consumer. Wescobee’s reputation as marketing a 100% pure quality honey is well known in over fourteen countries around the world.

Wescobee Honey is produced in the wild forest reserves of the South West and desert areas of Western Australia. These areas contain vast stands of Karri, Jarrah, Banksia, Heathland trees and shrubs. This region is ideal for the production of a 100% pure and natural honey due to a climate characterised by long sunny days and a crystal clear atmosphere aided by the strong cleansing Antarctic winds. This clean and unpolluted environment is free of fallout, acid rain and industrial pollutants. Unlike honeys produced in industrialised countries that suffer pollutions, Wescobee therefore, has a unique health advantage to the consumer.

Western Australia’s short mild winter enables the bees to exist without the need for artificial feeding. This ensures that a genuine 100% pure and natural honey is harvested. Most honey producing countries encourage sugar feeding of bees during winter thereby increasing the sucrose content found in honey. Nature and location therefore, plays a significant role in Wescobee’s production of 100% pure honey.

Adulteration of honey is now common in many honey-producing countries, particularly those of Asia and South America; however, Wescobee is able to guarantee that its premium honey products are 100% pure and natural. Wescobee Honey contains:

No Additives - No Preservatives - No Added Sugars, Syrups or Extenders
No Artificial Flavourings - No Artificial Colourings

Unlike many commercial honeys sold and packed under well-known international brand names, Wescobee honey does not contain honey produced in any other country. This is why Wescobee honey is in demand. Such is the commitment to quality that Wescobee has become Quality Accredited under the International Standard of SQF 2000cm (compatible with ISO 9002), Organic Honey Packing Certified, HALAL Certified and Kosher. Additionally Wescobee has been accrediting each beekeeper supplier under the B-Qual certification system.

Around the world the apicultural industry suffers many diseases of the bees and hive. To control such diseases such as Varroa, European Foulbrood, Chalkbrood and Noseama, beekeepers feed and treat the bees with drugs and chemicals. Western Australia is unique in that it does not have these beehive diseases. This unique advantage results in a pesticide, drug and chemical free honey. Strict quarantine controls prevent honey or apiary products from entering Western Australia enabling us to protect our local industry from these diseases and keep the honey pure and natural.

Strategically Wescobee honey has other advantages. These include:

  • A Low Moisture Content – This is achieved by allowing the honey to fully ripen in the hive. The result is a dense honey having a moisture level of 17-18.5% (compared to other developing countries where 19.5-22% is common). The low moisture content prevents fermentation of the honey due to the wild yeasts interacting on the natural sugars. Additionally, high moisture honeys could indicate that it has been adulterated by the addition of water to the honey. Wescobee strictly monitors all honey moisture levels to ensure your product is the best that nature can provide.
  • Rich Dark Colour – For a long time the world market believed that only light coloured honey was best. Now research is showing that darker honeys contain a greater degree of minerals and trace elements essential for modern man and health. These darker honeys are prized among true honey eaters and the health food industry throughout the world. Wescobee honey is naturally rich in colour due to the soil, vegetation varieties and natural elements thereby giving the consumer these unique health benefits.
  • No Heat Damage During Processing or Packing – The application of heat to honey is to speed up the processing ability of honey. Internationally the test used to measure heat and age of honey is a HMF Test (Hydroxymethylfurfual). The world market is generally set to accept a level of 40mg/Kg. Wescobee honey consistently records a level well below this level - around half the international standard. This reflects in part, the care and attention given to our honey to give the consumer a product “just as nature produces it.”
  • Organic Status – Wescobee honey is wild harvested meeting International Organic Standards. Wescobee is certified for Organic packing.
  • Microbiological Status – Due to the strict health standards of Australian law and the Company itself, Wescobee markets honey that is low in microbiological organisms. This low microbiological factor found in Wescobee honey is critical to consumers and results in the natural anti-microbial properties remaining at a maximum level.

When considering honey as a product, Wescobee Honey stands ahead of most products available. This is why Wescobee is able to guarantee that its premium honey products are 100% pure and natural.

Enjoy Wescobee’s Superb Wild Harvested Honey Today.

Honeybee swarms and nests

Swarms The swarming process is part of the natural reproductive life cycle of honeybee colonies. Colonies are stimulated to swarm during spring when warmer weather, together with an abundance of nectar and pollen, provide ideal conditions for the colony to increase rapidly. The colony soon becomes overcrowded and is stimulated to reproduce by swarming.

The old queen, together with the field bees, leave the hive and cluster on a nearby object, usually a small tree or shrub. The swarm will often remain for a day or two while scout bees (worker bees) search for a new home, or it may move to another location.

In the parent colony, new virgin queens emerge from queen cells and fight to the death. The fittest queen will survive and usually mate, and continue to maintain the colony.

Although bees swarm mostly in the spring, from September to November, some colonies may swarm during the summer and autumn. Most swarms leave the colony or move to a new location between 10.00 am and 2.00 pm on warm sunny days. During wet weather a swarm may stay in its resting place for several days.

Swarms and people
Most people who are unfamiliar with honeybees have a natural fear of them when they occur in large numbers. But swarming bees are very docile and are not inclined to sting provided they are left alone and a few common sense precautions are taken.

Should a swarm decide to settle on your property:

  • Keep children and pets inside for half an hour or so, until the flying bees have clustered on to a bush or other object.
  • Once the swarm has formed a cluster, usually about the size of a football, and most of the bees have stopped flying, it is safe to be outside pursuing your usual activities.
  • Keep clear of the swarm until you can arrange to have it removed.
  • Always wear footwear to protect your feet in case the odd bee has settled on the ground

These do-it-yourself remedies will provoke the bees, and encourage them to sting in defence. Such actions will also make it more difficult for a beekeeper or licensed pest control operator to remove the swarm.

Removal of swarms
When a swarm has settled on your property, the best course is to have it professionally removed. If you decide to do nothing the swarm may move to a new location or settle in the cavity wall of your house, an old drum, shed or a similar dark place, and establish a permanent nest, which can be expensive and more difficult to remove.

Generally, such a colony is not aggressive unless provoked but at times it may become more aggressive due to adverse weather conditions or a scarcity of nectar and pollen. In any event, it is best to exterminate the bees to avoid the likelihood of being stung.

Do not attempt to remove swarms yourself.

These activities should be carried out by licensed pest control operators listed in the Yellow Pages of the telephone directory. The Department of Agriculture does not remove swarms or exterminate nests of bees.

For further information about bees please contact the: WA Department of Agriculture on (08) 9368 3666.

Honey Bees are Angels of Agriculture

Honey Bees - increase the production of fruits, vegetables and seed crops by two to four times-a value of over two billion dollars annually to Australia.

Honey Bees - pollinate thousands of hectares of melons, apples, citrus, berries, canola, seeds and other flowering crops important to agriculture. This means great crops and food.

Honey Bees - pollination results in one third of all the food we eat!

Honey Bees - contribute to a healthy lifestyle by giving us natural, unrefined sugars and minerals for a balanced diet.

Honey - is a highly digestible energy food for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, adults and children.

Honey - is self preserving and does not need special storage.

Honey - is antibiotic and useful for the treatment of wounds, burns, colds, sore throats to name just a few uses.

Honey - used in cakes will keep them moist longer. It is a great enhancer for your meals.

Honey - is used to make Mead, an ancient drink also called Honey Wine.

Honey production - Through pollination bees have positive impact on the environment.

Honey - purchased in Australia supports local beekeepers and helps keep our rural communities vibrant.

Pollen - is collected by honey bees from flowers. It is a nutritious mix of proteins, vitamins and minerals that can be eaten as a health supplement.

Beeswax - is secreted from glands of the honey bee. This natural wax is used by honey bees to form honeycomb and by industry for making candles, cosmetics, skin balm and lotions.