Okinja Early Learning Centre recently received funding for new additions to their outdoor area.
Kristy – Manager at Okinja said they’re setting up the new area with raised garden beds for vegies, adding citrus trees, a shade sail, and most importantly, the native bee hive!
I delivered the hive today and with local legend Mario we installed it all ready for action. Mario (pictured in the photos) is involved with the Alex Headland Bushcare group and is pretty active in the local community.
After being locked up overnight for transport, the colony of Tetragonula carbonaria were pretty keen to be released and explore their new territory. We added a large honey sample jar tucked inside the top honey super box, so the bees can still be viewed if you remove the top section. The wall bracket, spring clips and roof were supplied by Alex at Spicers Hollow Native Bees.
Releasing the bees 
…while in the area we checked out the Alex Headland Community Garden….
In 2020 Alexandra Headland Community Garden installed their first stingless bee colony.
Alex at Spicers Hollow Native Bees custom made the cage with roof and I supplied a colony of Tetragonula carbonaria in one of my fitted lid observation boxes.
Today, nearly one year later, Mario and I visited the community garden and split the hive so the garden can build up their numbers. The box was packed full with resources like honey, pollen pots and plenty of brood.
A couple of passers by stopped for a chat, so it turned in to a demonstration/workshop. They found it hard to believe these little things were bees and stingless, thinking they were either flying ants or flies. They loved the taste of the honey as I opened a couple of honey pots for sampling.
Having the split bars top and bottom worked very well with no broken structures at all.
