The National Beekeepers' Association annual conference is now well underway in Auckland.

The five day event features everything from domestic honey judging competitions to seminars on the state of the world’s bees, to beginner beekeeper classes.  

Frenchman Gilles Ratia, the President of the International Bee Association, Apimondia,  is in New Zealand for the conference, and will be discussing the global hive-disappearing phenomenon, Colony Collapse Disorder. 

And while their honey isn’t welcome here, Australian industry experts have been brought in to talk about bee navigation, and American Foulbrood detection.

Zespri experts will also be addressing beekeepers, bringing them up to speed on changes to the practices for pollinating the kiwifruit crop in the Bay of Plenty brought about by PSA. 

The conference finishes on Thursday with the industry’s AGM.