A 2023 tour of the Stingless Bee Industry in Peninsula Malaysia, By Tobias Smith
Drs Tobias Smith and Tim Heard recently travelled to Malaysia to learn about their stingless bee and honey industry. Toby provided an engaging and interesting slide show via Zoom which we projected onto the large screen at our Bulimba Community center meeting place. If I’d had popcorn it would have been perfect. Toby introduced us to the large variety of stingless bees in Malaysia, and introduced us to their honey industry. Everything about Malaysia is so much bigger than us, for example Toby described just one honey collective, with 1000 members, and more than 60,000 colonies. The Malaysians are collecting tons of honey.
After the talk and questions, we sampled half a dozen Malaysian honey’s that Tim had brought back. I’m not sure if I liked it, it sure is different to the honey from our Aussie stingless bees.
We had 39 people in person, and another 37 people joining online. It was a successful & interesting meeting, with many people complementing Toby afterwards, as well as club secretary Greg Shea for his seamless use of the computer tech.
Greg recorded Toby’s presentation and posted it on Youtube at this link: https://youtu.be/tA3MHRTukcM
From Dean Haley, Chair, ANBA Brisbane Branch
Next meeting—July—Qld Garden Expo
The ANBA will hold a stall at the 2023 Queensland Garden Expo in Nambour from Friday 7th July to Sunday 9th July. The Brisbane Branch will not meet at our usual venue as it is unavailable on the 1st Sunday, but instead to encourage members to visit the Garden Expo and our stall there.
More volunteers to help on the stall would be appreciated. Please contact Greg Shea gshea@bigpond.net.au if you think you might be able to help.
We would also like to compile a list of people who provide native bee related goods and services in South-East Queens-land, that can be provided to members of the public. If you would like to be included on that list contact Greg as above.
We will be back at the Bulimba Hall on Sunday 6 Aug for our branch AGM along with a presentation by Del Dom on Native bee photography in person and Zoom.
From Greg Shea, Secretary, ANBA Brisbane Branch
For more info on branch activities, visit our Facebook page Brisbane Branch, Australian Native Bee Association,
https://www.facebook.com/bnbeec