Skip to content

Shopping from Australia? Save Big with Duty-Free Shopping!

  • Honey
    • Shop All Honey
    • Manuka Honey
    • Floral Honey
    Manuka Honey

    Manuka Honey

    Shop All
    Floral Honey

    Floral Honey

    Shop All
  • Beauty
    • Shop All Beauty
    • Facial Care
    • Body Care
    • Bath/Spa
    • Baby Care
    • Beauty Gifts
    • Hair Care
    Facial Care

    Facial Care

    Shop All
    Body Care

    Body Care

    Shop All
  • Health
    • Shop All Health
    • Immune Support
    • Joint, Bone & Muscle
    • Beauty/Vitamins
    • Men's Health
    • Women's Health
    Beauty & Vitamins

    Beauty & Vitamins

    Shop All
    Immune Support

    Immune Support

    Shop All
  • Bees
    • Shop All Bees
    • Bee Propolis
    • Royal Jelly
    • Bee Pollen
    • Honey Comb
    Bee propolis - Aotea Wellness

    Bee Propolis

    Shop All
    Royal Jelly

    Royal Jelly

    Shop All
  • Symptoms
    • Shop All Symptoms
    • Eyes
    • Heart
    • Kidneys
    • Lungs
    • Teeth
    Eyes

    Eyes

    Shop All
    Teeth

    Teeth

    Shop All
  • Health Food
    • Shop All Food
    • Lozenges
    • Butter
    • Tea
    NZ Tea and Other Foods

    NZ Tea and Other Foods

    Shop All
    Lozenges & Candies

    Lozenges & Candies

    Shop All
  • Clearance
Log in
No account yet? Create Account
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
Aotea Wellness
  • Honey
    Shop By Category
    • Shop All Honey
    • Manuka Honey
    • Floral Honey
    Manuka Honey

    Manuka Honey

    Shop All
    Floral Honey

    Floral Honey

    Shop All
  • Beauty
    Shop By Category
    • Shop All Beauty
    • Facial Care
    • Body Care
    • Bath/Spa
    • Baby Care
    • Beauty Gifts
    • Hair Care
    Facial Care

    Facial Care

    Shop All
    Body Care

    Body Care

    Shop All
  • Health
    Shop By Category
    • Shop All Health
    • Immune Support
    • Joint, Bone & Muscle
    • Beauty/Vitamins
    • Men's Health
    • Women's Health
    Beauty & Vitamins

    Beauty & Vitamins

    Shop All
    Immune Support

    Immune Support

    Shop All
  • Bees
    Shop By Category
    • Shop All Bees
    • Bee Propolis
    • Royal Jelly
    • Bee Pollen
    • Honey Comb
    Bee propolis - Aotea Wellness

    Bee Propolis

    Shop All
    Royal Jelly

    Royal Jelly

    Shop All
  • Symptoms
    Shop By Category
    • Shop All Symptoms
    • Eyes
    • Heart
    • Kidneys
    • Lungs
    • Teeth
    Eyes

    Eyes

    Shop All
    Teeth

    Teeth

    Shop All
  • Health Food
    Shop By Category
    • Shop All Food
    • Lozenges
    • Butter
    • Tea
    NZ Tea and Other Foods

    NZ Tea and Other Foods

    Shop All
    Lozenges & Candies

    Lozenges & Candies

    Shop All
  • Clearance
Search

Search

Beauty - Aotea Wellness

Beauty

Shop All
Account
Log in Create Account
Cart
00 items
Home
Blog On Wellbeing
A Sweet Experience with Chris: A Surprising Skill Bees Have

A Sweet Experience with Chris: A Surprising Skill Bees Have

A Sweet Experience is our blog series sharing our time with Chris, our bee keeper in the beautiful and remote, Bay of Islands. We chat with him on his experiences of living...

A Sweet Experience with Chris: A Surprising Skill Bees Have - Aotea Wellness
A Sweet Experience is our blog series sharing our time with Chris, our bee keeper in the beautiful and remote, Bay of Islands. We chat with him on his experiences of living up here with his marae community and caring for his bees. It's a never ending job that yields some of the finest Manuka Honey in the world - from hive to shelf this is a sweet experience!

 Bay of Islands NZ Manuka Honey

In this week's blog post we learn from Chris a surprising skill that bees have... Predicting the weather!

It is an overcast, Autumn day here in the Bay of Islands and the weather has been frequently changing. While Chris is tending to his hives, checking on the queen and the health and happiness of the colony we notice a swarm of bees coming up the hill, weaving between the Manuka trees and returning to their hives - it has turned into a highway for bees. Chris pauses, looking up at the sky and exclaims It is going to start raining! Sure enough, moments later drizzles fall from the sky and we are amongst a rain shower. Chris laughs, The little critter doesn't lie! Bees can sense when bad weather, rain and wind, are coming. They seek shelter before it arrives so they aren't caught in it - they literally can't be out in high wind and rain so need to be safely inside before it arrives.

Other news articles have reported this same behaviour and suggested bees may be able to detect changes in atmospheric pressures. Another article also suggested they may even forage more before a storm hits so to stock up on food supplies. A study carried out at Jiangxi Agricultural University in Nanchang, China also looked at this behaviour of bees and found promising indicators that bees work harder before a rainy day. 

We always knew bees were clever and hard-working, but this goes to show these busy bees are even more remarkable.

 

Thanks for tuning into A Sweet Experience. It is through these blog posts that we hope we can give you an insight into the life and experiences here in New Zealand. From hive, to shelf, to you.

To discover our range of Manuka honey click here, we currently have some great offers for you to enjoy and these premium products are ready to be shipped out to you immediately.

Take care and kia kaha,
The Aotea Team

Other Articles

How to Use Manuka Honey As a Natural Burn Balm - Aotea Wellness

How to Use Manuka Honey As a Natural Burn Balm

September 30, 2021 Haruna Murakami
Why Manuka Honey - Aotea Wellness

Why Manuka Honey

June 04, 2021 Ivy Zhang
New Zealand: A country that you could trust for food safety - Aotea Wellness

New Zealand: A country that you could trust for food safety

June 04, 2021 Ivy Zhang
An interview with Avoca beekeeper Chris Reti in Northland, New Zealand - Aotea Wellness

An interview with Matauwhi's beekeeper Chris Reti in Northland, New Zealand

April 22, 2021 Ivy Zhang
Which Manuka Honey Is Best? UMF, MGO, K+ and Raw Honey Explained - Aotea Wellness

Which Manuka Honey Is Best? UMF, MGO, K+ and Raw Honey Explained

April 22, 2021 Ivy Zhang
Simple Ways To Improve Your Health With Bee Propolis - Aotea Wellness

Simple Ways To Improve Your Health With Bee Propolis

April 22, 2021 Haruna Murakami
About Us
  • What is Aotea Wellness
  • The Meaning of Aotea
  • The Aotea Gifts Story
  • Sponsorships
About Us
  • What is Aotea Wellness
  • The Meaning of Aotea
  • The Aotea Gifts Story
  • Sponsorships
Customer Service
  • Making a Payment
  • Shipping & Fulfillment
  • Exchange, Returns and Refunds
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy
Customer Service
  • Making a Payment
  • Shipping & Fulfillment
  • Exchange, Returns and Refunds
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy
Contact Us

Message Us

info@aoteanz.com

+64 9 379 5010

Our Address

Contact Us

Message Us

info@aoteanz.com

+64 9 379 5010

Our Address

FAQs
  • Honey
  • Health
  • Blogs
FAQs
  • Honey
  • Health
  • Blogs

You may be required to pay import duties and taxes when your parcel reaches your country. These and any additional charges for customs clearance are your responsibility.

Aotea Wellness
Copyright © 2024 Aotea New Zealand Online Limited all rights reserved. Powered by Shopify
  • Afghanistan (NZD $)
  • Åland Islands (NZD $)
  • Albania (NZD $)
  • Algeria (NZD $)
  • Andorra (NZD $)
  • Angola (NZD $)
  • Anguilla (NZD $)
  • Antigua & Barbuda (NZD $)
  • Argentina (NZD $)
  • Armenia (NZD $)
  • Aruba (NZD $)
  • Ascension Island (NZD $)
  • Australia (NZD $)
  • Austria (NZD $)
  • Azerbaijan (NZD $)
  • Bahamas (NZD $)
  • Bahrain (NZD $)
  • Bangladesh (NZD $)
  • Barbados (NZD $)
  • Belarus (NZD $)
  • Belgium (NZD $)
  • Belize (NZD $)
  • Benin (NZD $)
  • Bermuda (NZD $)
  • Bhutan (NZD $)
  • Bolivia (NZD $)
  • Bosnia & Herzegovina (NZD $)
  • Botswana (NZD $)
  • Brazil (NZD $)
  • British Indian Ocean Territory (NZD $)
  • British Virgin Islands (NZD $)
  • Brunei (NZD $)
  • Bulgaria (NZD $)
  • Burkina Faso (NZD $)
  • Burundi (NZD $)
  • Cambodia (NZD $)
  • Cameroon (NZD $)
  • Canada (NZD $)
  • Cape Verde (NZD $)
  • Caribbean Netherlands (NZD $)
  • Cayman Islands (NZD $)
  • Central African Republic (NZD $)
  • Chad (NZD $)
  • Chile (NZD $)
  • China (NZD $)
  • Christmas Island (NZD $)
  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands (NZD $)
  • Colombia (NZD $)
  • Comoros (NZD $)
  • Congo - Brazzaville (NZD $)
  • Congo - Kinshasa (NZD $)
  • Cook Islands (NZD $)
  • Costa Rica (NZD $)
  • Côte d’Ivoire (NZD $)
  • Croatia (NZD $)
  • Curaçao (NZD $)
  • Cyprus (NZD $)
  • Czechia (NZD $)
  • Denmark (NZD $)
  • Djibouti (NZD $)
  • Dominica (NZD $)
  • Dominican Republic (NZD $)
  • Ecuador (NZD $)
  • Egypt (NZD $)
  • El Salvador (NZD $)
  • Equatorial Guinea (NZD $)
  • Eritrea (NZD $)
  • Estonia (NZD $)
  • Eswatini (NZD $)
  • Ethiopia (NZD $)
  • Falkland Islands (NZD $)
  • Faroe Islands (NZD $)
  • Fiji (NZD $)
  • Finland (NZD $)
  • France (NZD $)
  • French Guiana (NZD $)
  • French Polynesia (NZD $)
  • French Southern Territories (NZD $)
  • Gabon (NZD $)
  • Gambia (NZD $)
  • Georgia (NZD $)
  • Germany (NZD $)
  • Ghana (NZD $)
  • Gibraltar (NZD $)
  • Greece (NZD $)
  • Greenland (NZD $)
  • Grenada (NZD $)
  • Guadeloupe (NZD $)
  • Guatemala (NZD $)
  • Guernsey (NZD $)
  • Guinea (NZD $)
  • Guinea-Bissau (NZD $)
  • Guyana (NZD $)
  • Haiti (NZD $)
  • Honduras (NZD $)
  • Hong Kong SAR (NZD $)
  • Hungary (NZD $)
  • Iceland (NZD $)
  • India (NZD $)
  • Indonesia (NZD $)
  • Iraq (NZD $)
  • Ireland (NZD $)
  • Isle of Man (NZD $)
  • Israel (NZD $)
  • Italy (NZD $)
  • Jamaica (NZD $)
  • Japan (NZD $)
  • Jersey (NZD $)
  • Jordan (NZD $)
  • Kazakhstan (NZD $)
  • Kenya (NZD $)
  • Kiribati (NZD $)
  • Kosovo (NZD $)
  • Kuwait (NZD $)
  • Kyrgyzstan (NZD $)
  • Laos (NZD $)
  • Latvia (NZD $)
  • Lebanon (NZD $)
  • Lesotho (NZD $)
  • Liberia (NZD $)
  • Libya (NZD $)
  • Liechtenstein (NZD $)
  • Lithuania (NZD $)
  • Luxembourg (NZD $)
  • Macao SAR (NZD $)
  • Madagascar (NZD $)
  • Malawi (NZD $)
  • Malaysia (NZD $)
  • Maldives (NZD $)
  • Mali (NZD $)
  • Malta (NZD $)
  • Martinique (NZD $)
  • Mauritania (NZD $)
  • Mauritius (NZD $)
  • Mayotte (NZD $)
  • Mexico (NZD $)
  • Moldova (NZD $)
  • Monaco (NZD $)
  • Mongolia (NZD $)
  • Montenegro (NZD $)
  • Montserrat (NZD $)
  • Morocco (NZD $)
  • Mozambique (NZD $)
  • Myanmar (Burma) (NZD $)
  • Namibia (NZD $)
  • Nauru (NZD $)
  • Nepal (NZD $)
  • Netherlands (NZD $)
  • New Caledonia (NZD $)
  • New Zealand (NZD $)
  • Nicaragua (NZD $)
  • Niger (NZD $)
  • Nigeria (NZD $)
  • Niue (NZD $)
  • Norfolk Island (NZD $)
  • North Macedonia (NZD $)
  • Norway (NZD $)
  • Oman (NZD $)
  • Pakistan (NZD $)
  • Palestinian Territories (NZD $)
  • Panama (NZD $)
  • Papua New Guinea (NZD $)
  • Paraguay (NZD $)
  • Peru (NZD $)
  • Philippines (NZD $)
  • Pitcairn Islands (NZD $)
  • Poland (NZD $)
  • Portugal (NZD $)
  • Qatar (NZD $)
  • Réunion (NZD $)
  • Romania (NZD $)
  • Russia (NZD $)
  • Rwanda (NZD $)
  • Samoa (NZD $)
  • San Marino (NZD $)
  • São Tomé & Príncipe (NZD $)
  • Saudi Arabia (NZD $)
  • Senegal (NZD $)
  • Serbia (NZD $)
  • Seychelles (NZD $)
  • Sierra Leone (NZD $)
  • Singapore (NZD $)
  • Sint Maarten (NZD $)
  • Slovakia (NZD $)
  • Slovenia (NZD $)
  • Solomon Islands (NZD $)
  • Somalia (NZD $)
  • South Africa (NZD $)
  • South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands (NZD $)
  • South Korea (NZD $)
  • South Sudan (NZD $)
  • Spain (NZD $)
  • Sri Lanka (NZD $)
  • St. Barthélemy (NZD $)
  • St. Helena (NZD $)
  • St. Kitts & Nevis (NZD $)
  • St. Lucia (NZD $)
  • St. Martin (NZD $)
  • St. Pierre & Miquelon (NZD $)
  • St. Vincent & Grenadines (NZD $)
  • Sudan (NZD $)
  • Suriname (NZD $)
  • Svalbard & Jan Mayen (NZD $)
  • Sweden (NZD $)
  • Switzerland (NZD $)
  • Taiwan (NZD $)
  • Tajikistan (NZD $)
  • Tanzania (NZD $)
  • Thailand (NZD $)
  • Timor-Leste (NZD $)
  • Togo (NZD $)
  • Tokelau (NZD $)
  • Tonga (NZD $)
  • Trinidad & Tobago (NZD $)
  • Tristan da Cunha (NZD $)
  • Tunisia (NZD $)
  • Türkiye (NZD $)
  • Turkmenistan (NZD $)
  • Turks & Caicos Islands (NZD $)
  • Tuvalu (NZD $)
  • U.S. Outlying Islands (NZD $)
  • Uganda (NZD $)
  • Ukraine (NZD $)
  • United Arab Emirates (NZD $)
  • United Kingdom (NZD $)
  • United States (NZD $)
  • Uruguay (NZD $)
  • Uzbekistan (NZD $)
  • Vanuatu (NZD $)
  • Vatican City (NZD $)
  • Venezuela (NZD $)
  • Vietnam (NZD $)
  • Wallis & Futuna (NZD $)
  • Western Sahara (NZD $)
  • Yemen (NZD $)
  • Zambia (NZD $)
  • Zimbabwe (NZD $)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
Subscribe to Our Newsletter For Exclusive Deals & News!
  • Refund policy
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of service
  • Shipping policy

Cart

0 items

Your Cart is Empty

Loading...

Shop Now
  • Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.