Engineers design artificial intelligence varroa mite sensing bee-hive. Varroa mite is a blood sucking parasite that devastates bee colonies. Australia is the only continent still free from varroa. A team which worked on the Mars Rover project, has designed a hive that uses tiny cameras and artificial intelligence to detect hitch-hiking mites. And it could protect Australia's most important pollinators.
Millions of bees and countless hectares of habitat have been destroyed in Australia by recent unprecedented bushfires and drought. Australian honey may soon be imported and the vital pollinators will be in short supply for agriculture. A third of the world's food relies on bee pollination.
Australia is producing more almonds than ever before. As orchard plantings have increased so too has the need for bees which are vital for pollination. Co-ordinating the huge annual mass migration of millions of bees to trees, is a bee broker, and it's a tough job.
Rottnest Island off Western Australia is home to the world's longest continuous Queen bee breeding program. The Queens are renowned for their calm temperament and ability to breed bees producing nearly double the global average of honey. And bio-active honey from the state's unique Jarrah and other forests has been discovered by the world sparking a liquid gold rush.
Beekeeping is not just for old people. A group of Australia children has embraced the joys of keeping hives and harvesting honey. They've been inspired by a hairdresser turned apiarist. It's only club of its kind in Australia, and they are loving it ... and learning about more than just bees. Maybe some birds also!