Bee Research and Extension Lab

Practical research for sustainable, productive and profitable honey and pollination industries

The majority of Australian crops rely on honey bee pollination. Healthy bees are critical for our food and nutrition security, which remains under threat from pests like Varroa destructor mite and our changing climate.

Southern Cross University’s Bee Research and Extension Lab is working to address gaps in basic and applied beekeeping research and extension that are critical to increasing the profitability, resilience and research capacity of the Australian honey and pollination industry.

Our projects and research interests focus on:

• Honey bee pests, diseases and biosecurity
• Queen bee rearing and breeding
• Honey bee nutrition
• Pollination
• Technology
• Education, training and extension
• Agribusiness
• Social inclusion

Collaboration

If you have an idea that can help bees and beekeepers, we want to hear from you. Only by drawing on the collective talents, knowledge and skills of private-sector beekeepers, industry panels, national and international researchers and beekeeping and pollination associations can we identify and address priority issues that create the greatest impact. We are committed to working closely with national and international beekeeping industry stakeholders, including existing partnerships with:

• Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
• Macquarie University
• University of Adelaide
• NSW Department of Primary Industries
• Australian Honey Bee Industry Council
• Beekeeping Industry Council of Western Australia
• New South Wales Apiarist Association
• Queensland Beekeepers Association
• Australian Queen Bee Breeders Association
• Crop Pollination Association of Australia
• The Coffee Industry Cooperation (PNG)
• National Department of Agriculture and Livestock (PNG)
• Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways (Fiji)
• Biosecurity Authority of Fiji
• Fiji Beekeeping Association
• Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Solomon Islands)
• International Bee Research Association - COLOSS
• The University of O'Higgins (Chile)
• University of the South Pacific
• University of Goroka (PNG)
• World Wildlife Fund (Vietnam)