Top End bee mover Wesley Mackay, volunteers celebrated for World Bee Day on May 20

While the chorus of thousands of humming bees may be an intimidating one for most, this Top End man gets a buzz from it.

While the chorus of thousand of humming bees may be an intimidating one for most, Wesley Mackay gets a buzz from it. Picture: Supplied

While the chorus of thousands of humming bees may be an intimidating one for most, Wesley Mackay gets a buzz from it.

In fact, the substation technician for Power and Water’s Power Services Darwin team loves bees so much that he offers his time to help relocate native hives from PwC sites and infrastructure across the Top End.

His passion sees him volunteer hours of his time as a rescue co-ordinator with the Australian Native Bee Association Northern Territory Branch, which has about 10 active members.

Mr Mackay has been helping relocate bees for years. Picture: Supplied

Volunteers such as Mr Mackay are being recognised Tuesday as part of World Bee Day, an international day that recognises the vital role bees play in food production and ecosystem health.

Mr Mackay was most recently called to a house in Tiwi to remove a hive that had essentially glued a meter box closed, making it unusable.

“The bees were the Tetragonula mellipes species, the most common in Darwin,” he said.

“They’re a native stingless bee, so completely harmless, but very important.

“The honey they produce is worth about a dollar a gram, so it’s on the more expensive side.”

Mr Mackay says the volunteering work he does is important. Picture: Supplied

Relocation involves gently placing the eggs — known variably as the brood or larvae — and food stores into a small wooden box, then “vacuuming” the bees into the same box.

This includes both the male bees living inside the hive and the female worker bees as they return home from collecting nectar, pollen, water and propolis at the end of the day.

Each hive contains a single queen, and, according to PwC, it is crucial she is included in the relocation because she will be the reason the other bees work to build a new hive in the new location.

In the five years since he began relocating bees, Mr Mackay has relocated countless hives and colonies from water pits, renovated bathrooms, steel tube fences, logs and trees and more.

The theme of this year’s World Bee Day is ‘Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all’. Picture: Supplied

Mr Mackay says he does what he does is because bees are a “crucial part of our ecosystem”.

“They are essential for plant reproduction and food production,” he said.

“They’re at constant risk from habitat loss, diseases and pests so, rather than see their hives destroyed, I help relocate them to a safe place where they can carry on their vital work.”

The theme for World Bee Day 2025 is ‘Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all’.

To find out more visit World Bee Day (Australia) – 20 May – Helping Protect our Bees at worldbeeday.org.au

Originally published as Top End bee mover Wesley Mackay, volunteers celebrated for World Bee Day on May 20