Cormac (Bee guy)
@jagungal.bsky.social
Head beekeeper, Australian Parliament. Environmental scientist, cat lover, Japanese jujitsu black belt. Kinda nerdy.
Urban Beekeeping - The City as a Hive in bookshops now!
Urban Beekeeping - The City as a Hive in bookshops now!
Pinned
Cormac (Bee guy)
@jagungal.bsky.social
· Nov 18
A bit about me:
- environmental scientist, native grasslands & woodlands, and bushfire protection
- work on Australia's national environment laws, including outreach and science communication
- head beekeeper for the Australian Parliament!
- also enjoy weaponised gravity for fun (judo & jujitsu)
- environmental scientist, native grasslands & woodlands, and bushfire protection
- work on Australia's national environment laws, including outreach and science communication
- head beekeeper for the Australian Parliament!
- also enjoy weaponised gravity for fun (judo & jujitsu)
Reposted by Cormac (Bee guy)
It's that time of year
November 22, 2025 at 11:54 AM
It's that time of year
Have seen this first-hand when travelling through Kenya and Ethiopia - every town had a 'solar shop' and mobile phones had leapfrogged landlines, with mobile credit a defacto currency.
Very cool to see community innovation just take over!
share.google/Hih4QsBTqwGS...
Very cool to see community innovation just take over!
share.google/Hih4QsBTqwGS...
Accessible, cheap clean energy could spark a new world order
Unshackled from legacy fossil fuel interests, the world’s clean energy future is being forged in the bustling cities of the global south.
share.google
November 22, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Have seen this first-hand when travelling through Kenya and Ethiopia - every town had a 'solar shop' and mobile phones had leapfrogged landlines, with mobile credit a defacto currency.
Very cool to see community innovation just take over!
share.google/Hih4QsBTqwGS...
Very cool to see community innovation just take over!
share.google/Hih4QsBTqwGS...
Drilling escapes from kesa gatame (scarf hold). That is me being an insufferable jerk to people who can't stop me from escaping 😂🤣
November 21, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Drilling escapes from kesa gatame (scarf hold). That is me being an insufferable jerk to people who can't stop me from escaping 😂🤣
Some good news to start they day - EU bans on systemic pesticides already paying off. A great example of public policy backed by quality science. 🧪
France’s birds start to show signs of recovery after bee-harming pesticide ban www.theguardian.com/environment/...
France’s birds start to show signs of recovery after bee-harming pesticide ban www.theguardian.com/environment/...
France’s birds start to show signs of recovery after bee-harming pesticide ban
Analysis shows small hike in populations of insect-eating species after 2018 ruling, but full recovery may take decades
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Some good news to start they day - EU bans on systemic pesticides already paying off. A great example of public policy backed by quality science. 🧪
France’s birds start to show signs of recovery after bee-harming pesticide ban www.theguardian.com/environment/...
France’s birds start to show signs of recovery after bee-harming pesticide ban www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Bit of a pinch-me moment today, my book is number 1 best-seller in town planning!
I wrote it to encourage a more bee-friendly approach to urban design, so really loving seeing it at the top of this list! #Booksky
I wrote it to encourage a more bee-friendly approach to urban design, so really loving seeing it at the top of this list! #Booksky
November 17, 2025 at 4:48 AM
Bit of a pinch-me moment today, my book is number 1 best-seller in town planning!
I wrote it to encourage a more bee-friendly approach to urban design, so really loving seeing it at the top of this list! #Booksky
I wrote it to encourage a more bee-friendly approach to urban design, so really loving seeing it at the top of this list! #Booksky
How you know that you at a concert in Australia:
Metallica is shredding the stage, but someone still has the cricket on so they can check scores 😂🤣🏏
Metallica is shredding the stage, but someone still has the cricket on so they can check scores 😂🤣🏏
November 16, 2025 at 10:37 AM
How you know that you at a concert in Australia:
Metallica is shredding the stage, but someone still has the cricket on so they can check scores 😂🤣🏏
Metallica is shredding the stage, but someone still has the cricket on so they can check scores 😂🤣🏏
Reminds me of when I was working on community consultation for a large wind farm, and one landowner (vehement opponent) was selling his place and insisted that he was going to sue for lost income.
Property sold (for lots), and we never heard a peep from him!
reneweconomy.com.au/wind-farms-l...
Property sold (for lots), and we never heard a peep from him!
reneweconomy.com.au/wind-farms-l...
reneweconomy.com.au
November 12, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Reminds me of when I was working on community consultation for a large wind farm, and one landowner (vehement opponent) was selling his place and insisted that he was going to sue for lost income.
Property sold (for lots), and we never heard a peep from him!
reneweconomy.com.au/wind-farms-l...
Property sold (for lots), and we never heard a peep from him!
reneweconomy.com.au/wind-farms-l...
Really fun interview this morning for ABC Breakfast radio - talking about #bees, the importance of pollination and citizen science for Australian Pollinator Week!
My segment starts at about 1:15:00 in.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
My segment starts at about 1:15:00 in.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Breakfast - ABC listen
Start your day with Breakfast across the Western Plains, including AM at 8 o'clock.
www.abc.net.au
November 12, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Really fun interview this morning for ABC Breakfast radio - talking about #bees, the importance of pollination and citizen science for Australian Pollinator Week!
My segment starts at about 1:15:00 in.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
My segment starts at about 1:15:00 in.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Happy to see the Parliament house beehives all absolutely cranking today! The #bees are feasting on a Red Box, Callistemon and White Clover blossom. @flowhive.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Happy to see the Parliament house beehives all absolutely cranking today! The #bees are feasting on a Red Box, Callistemon and White Clover blossom. @flowhive.bsky.social
Interesting research relevant to #beekeeping - viral infections can damage honeybee queen's reproductive organs enough to make the colony replace her.
The colony runs as a democracy - the queen is not 'in charge' at all. 🧪
phys.org/news/2025-10...
The colony runs as a democracy - the queen is not 'in charge' at all. 🧪
phys.org/news/2025-10...
Why honey bees overthrow their queen
It sounds like the plot of a medieval historical drama: A once-powerful monarch, weakened by illness, is overthrown by her previously loyal subjects. But in honey bee colonies, such high-stakes coups ...
phys.org
November 4, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Interesting research relevant to #beekeeping - viral infections can damage honeybee queen's reproductive organs enough to make the colony replace her.
The colony runs as a democracy - the queen is not 'in charge' at all. 🧪
phys.org/news/2025-10...
The colony runs as a democracy - the queen is not 'in charge' at all. 🧪
phys.org/news/2025-10...
Reposted by Cormac (Bee guy)
It IS the most lucrative wildlife crime, and it ain't even close, folks.
Eel-egal trade: the world’s most lucrative wildlife crime?
https://www.europesays.com/2541386/
Eels have been a staple of European diets for millennia, from London’s jellied eels to Spanish angulas. But…
https://www.europesays.com/2541386/
Eels have been a staple of European diets for millennia, from London’s jellied eels to Spanish angulas. But…
Eel-egal trade: the world’s most lucrative wildlife crime? - EUROPE SAYS
Eels have been a staple of European diets for millennia, from London’s jellied eels to Spanish angulas. But the world’s appetite is bringing them to the brink
www.europesays.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:08 AM
It IS the most lucrative wildlife crime, and it ain't even close, folks.
The native stingless #bees returned to the Australian Parliament a few weeks ago, and have already found a good source of pollen judging by the yellow on their legs!
November 3, 2025 at 4:26 AM
The native stingless #bees returned to the Australian Parliament a few weeks ago, and have already found a good source of pollen judging by the yellow on their legs!
Old Parliament rose gardens are incredible right now - not just the colours, but also the beautiful perfume!
November 3, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Old Parliament rose gardens are incredible right now - not just the colours, but also the beautiful perfume!
Nailed it. The crazy pointlessness of billionaires always amazes me.
Every billionaire is a policy failure.
Every billionaire is a policy failure.
"If you're a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?" Billie Eilish speaking directly to Mark Zuckerberg, as she donates $11.5m to food poverty and climate justice organisations.
'Give your money away,' Billie Eilish tells billionaires
The singer called on the mega wealthy to donate more to charity, during a speech at the WSJ Awards attended by the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and George Lucas.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Nailed it. The crazy pointlessness of billionaires always amazes me.
Every billionaire is a policy failure.
Every billionaire is a policy failure.
Fun fact: as a fresh recruit to the Dept of Environment in the late 90's, one of my first jobs was to procure a video of the exploding whale so that the Environment Minister could see it for himself.
For the kids: this was in the olden days, where streaming video was yet to be invented.
For the kids: this was in the olden days, where streaming video was yet to be invented.
Lol it is clear that no one on Waroona Shire council is on the internet. I so hope they do this.
“Waroona Shire suggests blowing up rotting whale carcass to save money” www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
“Waroona Shire suggests blowing up rotting whale carcass to save money” www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Shire suggests blowing up dead whale as alternative to expensive disposal
A coastal shire in WA suggests towing a rotting whale carcass out to sea and blowing it up, saying it cannot afford to dispose of the whale itself.
www.abc.net.au
October 31, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Fun fact: as a fresh recruit to the Dept of Environment in the late 90's, one of my first jobs was to procure a video of the exploding whale so that the Environment Minister could see it for himself.
For the kids: this was in the olden days, where streaming video was yet to be invented.
For the kids: this was in the olden days, where streaming video was yet to be invented.
The native stingless #bees have returned to Parliament House!
After a tough couple of seasons, it is wonderful to have them back at our national Parliament, just as spring warms up!
After a tough couple of seasons, it is wonderful to have them back at our national Parliament, just as spring warms up!
October 31, 2025 at 12:32 AM
The native stingless #bees have returned to Parliament House!
After a tough couple of seasons, it is wonderful to have them back at our national Parliament, just as spring warms up!
After a tough couple of seasons, it is wonderful to have them back at our national Parliament, just as spring warms up!
Leading a team of excellent staff in a multinational comany during the GFC taught me one essential lesson: whatever their fine words in the good times, 95% of corporations care nothing for their staff, and will sacrifice them in a heartbeat.
Being laid off feels especially hard when I remember how many times I put my job first before my own health, well-being, and family. When I worked weeknights until 11pm and on weekends to hit production quotas, during PTO, and filed three stories the day before it happened. There's a lot of grief.
October 30, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Leading a team of excellent staff in a multinational comany during the GFC taught me one essential lesson: whatever their fine words in the good times, 95% of corporations care nothing for their staff, and will sacrifice them in a heartbeat.
Pretty sure that the author of this piece has been living under a rock, or an alternate universe where grid-scale and home battery systems are not being rolled out as fast as the installers can connect them:
share.google/3JmmbXcDlwJI...
share.google/3JmmbXcDlwJI...
You’re putting too much solar on your roof
Turn your home into a power station and you’re changing your role from that of customer to speculator in one of the most volatile, cut-throat commodity markets on the planet.
share.google
October 29, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Pretty sure that the author of this piece has been living under a rock, or an alternate universe where grid-scale and home battery systems are not being rolled out as fast as the installers can connect them:
share.google/3JmmbXcDlwJI...
share.google/3JmmbXcDlwJI...
My lunchtime walk hit differently today - showing off the Parliament beehives to the Agrifutures Rural Womens Award Alumni, who are in town for the awards tonight.
An incredible group of business leaders, and a surprising number are keen beekeepers!
An incredible group of business leaders, and a surprising number are keen beekeepers!
October 28, 2025 at 9:05 AM
My lunchtime walk hit differently today - showing off the Parliament beehives to the Agrifutures Rural Womens Award Alumni, who are in town for the awards tonight.
An incredible group of business leaders, and a surprising number are keen beekeepers!
An incredible group of business leaders, and a surprising number are keen beekeepers!
Donation 59 in the bag (literally).
Plasma again, great proces, very fast!
Plasma again, great proces, very fast!
October 26, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Donation 59 in the bag (literally).
Plasma again, great proces, very fast!
Plasma again, great proces, very fast!
I remember one of the students in my beekeeping course noting how much calmer I would become when working a hive.
www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/he...
www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/he...
Healing huts and mindfulness: How bees became the new wellness influencers
The benefits of keeping bees go beyond honey. As more people are discovering, these super pollinators are the perfect antidote to a busy world.
www.smh.com.au
October 22, 2025 at 11:13 AM
I remember one of the students in my beekeeping course noting how much calmer I would become when working a hive.
www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/he...
www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/he...
