Bees

Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice

The Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice provides minimum standards for the management of urban beehives.

Urban beekeepers are strongly encouraged to observe the Code. The Code aims to ensure good beekeeping practices in the ACT.  It’s also a good reference point for amateur backyard beekeepers, as well as members of the public concerned about beekeeping practices in their neighbourhood.

It is important to be aware that the Biosecurity Regulation 2025 prohibits the keeping of honey bees other than in frame hives. The regulation also prohibits a person from exposing honey or honeycomb, other than in a frame hive, in a way that other honey bees may have access to it. This practice can lead to the spread of diseases. For the same reason, a beekeeper should never feed honey to honey bees.

Registration for bee hives

Canberra beekeepers are required to register their hives under the Biosecurity Regulation 2025. This helps the ACT Government easily identify and contact beekeepers in the event of an outbreak of bee-related disease.

Registration is free and valid for 3 years, and can be done by using the online registration beekeeper form.

Both commercial and non-commercial operators need to register. If you are registered under a corresponding biosecurity law of another jurisdiction, you may be exempt from registering under the Biosecurity Regulation 2025. However, requirements specified under s24 of the Biosecurity Regulation 2025 must be met.

If you would like to discuss what qualifies as an exemption, please email ACT Biosecurity at ACTBiosecurity@act.gov.au and provide your full name and contact details, the jurisdiction where you are registered and your registration number under the corresponding biosecurity law. ACT Biosecurity will then contact you.

Registered beekeepers are also asked to:

• adhere to Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice
• maintain a record of the movement, sale or disposal of beehives
• promptly contact the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881 or ACT Biosecurity by emailing ACTBiosecurity@act.gov.au or calling 02 6207 3587 if you notice anything unusual.

Swarms

Bees generally swarm between August and December. Bees are not usually aggressive and will go about their day-to-day duties unless they feel threatened or are under attack. Try to avoid the flight path of bee swarms and leave them to their own devices.

If a bee swarm on government land is causing concern, call Access Canberra on 13 22 81. If the swarm is on private property call a swarm collector. Enter your postcode on the Amateur Beekeepers Australia website to find your closest swarm collector.

Bee identification

Although bees and European wasps are similar in size and shape, you can differentiate between the two by their colours and markings. Bees are a dull shade of yellow or golden-brown colour through to black, with black stripes around their body, but no black dot like the European wasp. European wasps are bright yellow and black with bright yellow legs. They are predominantly black on their front half with bright yellow markings, and predominantly bright yellow on their back half with black stripes and black dots between the stripes down each side of the abdomen (sometimes joining the stripes). European wasps have longer, thicker antennae than bees.

Bees nest in trees or wall cavities, but can also  be found in compost bins and cavities such as old suitcases. The most likely place for a European wasp nest to occur is in the ground, although they also nest in walls, ceilings and trees. Wasp nests are easily sighted due to the constant activity above the nest, although the nest entrance can be well hidden in vegetation.

Notifiable biosecurity matter for bees

A number of bee diseases are notifiable biosecurity matters under the Biosecurity (Notifiable and Prohibited Biosecurity Matter) Declaration 2025. This means there is a legal obligation to notify the ACT Government if you know or suspect that a hive is infected with a notifiable disease.

Notifiable biosecurity matters for bees includes:

• American foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae)
• European foulbrood (Melissococcus pluton)
• Acariasis tracheal mite (Acarapis woodi)
• Africanised honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata (hybrid))
• Asian honey bee (Apis cerana)
• Braula fly/Bee louse (Braula coeca)
• Dwarf honey bee (Apis florae)
• Giant honey bee (Apis dorsata)
• Tropilaelaps mite (Tropilaelaps clareae and Tropilaelaps mercedesae)
• Varroa mite (Varroa destructor and Varroa jacobsoni) and Varroosis.

If you notice a suspected or confirmed notifiable biosecurity matter, contact the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881 or ACT Biosecurity by emailing ACTBiosecurity@act.gov.auor calling 02 6207 3587.

Reporting of bees on ACT Government land

To report a bee hive on ACT Government land, please submit your request using this European Wasp, Ants or Bees Report form.

You’ll receive a submission notification with a reference code.

For enquiries regarding your submission, please contact Access Canberra 13 22 81 (Quoting your reference code).