Sweet hobby: Chris Kydd’s 400,000 Italian bees produce 250 kilos of honey ‘‘in a good year’’ but that still makes him a hobby beekeeper. Picture: Mike Sea
NO one wants a diabolical queen, least of all a beekeeper.
It is why hobby apiarist Chris Kydd doesn't reintroduce his queen bees to their hives when they go off to mate in spring.
Watch our video interview with Mr Kydd, filmed by Mike Sea, below:
"When she leaves, she leaves cells to hatch but because she's mated with 32 local boys [drones] you don't know what you'll get," Mr Kydd said.
"My breeder floods the nightclub [tongue-in-cheek way of describing the swarm] with 'nice boys' — bees true to their type — so my bees remain quite gentle."
They still pack a sting, however.
"I've lost count of the number of times they've got me."
Within the six hives on his five-acre Galston property, there are about 400,000 Italian bees.
It sounds like a lot, but it's no where near enough to make money from them.
"As a commercial beekeeper you'd need about 1000 hives," said Mr Kydd who plans to enter his honey in the apiculture section of this year's Castle Hill Show.
He is the show co-ordinator for the Parramatta Amateur Beekeepers, who meet second Wednesday each month 7.30pm at James Ruse Agriculture High School.
All 50 members will enter honey in the Castle Hill Show for judging, and some will also enter biscuits made to a honey recipe.
New to this year's Castle Hill Show are a rabbits section, youth bands, and extreme stunt riders and athletes from the Big Air School.
The 127th Castle Hill Show is on Friday to Sunday at Castle Hill Showground. Details: castlehillshow.com.au.