Benedict Hughes is a well-known registered Beekeeper. As The Practical Beekeeper he collects swarms, manages hives, extracts honey, teaches and loves bees.
Benedict is also a commercial migratory beekeeper who runs around 100 beehives across Victoria. He produces small-batch, raw local honey which is available through Melbourne Farmers Markets and select retail outlets. His bees also provide invaluable pollination services.
Benedict is the resident Beekeeper at Ceres (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies) and is approved by the City of Darebin to keep bees in Darebin Parklands and Bundoora Park.
Benedict regularly runs school incursions about bees and beekeeping, he also delivers adult educational courses at Melbourne Polytechnic and CERES in Brunswick as well as at Edendale Community Environment Farm in Eltham.
Benedict is also the founding President of The Australian Pollinator Alliance, a not-for- profit dedicated to promoting the health of bees and all pollinators, critical to our food and natural environment, through education, research and conservation.