Hive demonstrations adding buzz to Arataki Visitor Centre over summer

Arataki Visitor Centre's manager Gayle Hutcheson says it's been a great start to the year with more than 10,000 people already through the doors these summer holidays. Photo / Supplied

Arataki Honey's new "live hive" demonstrations have added a real buzz to its highly popular visitor centre with thousands of holiday makers popping in over summer.

Home to New Zealand's favourite spread, Arataki's newly refurbished visitor centre, in Havelock North, has a wide range of interactive features offering a fun, educational, and free activity for all ages.

Arataki Visitor Centre manager Gayle Hutcheson says it's been a great start to the year with more than 10,000 people already through the doors this summer.

The live hive demonstrations are run by Nat Berry, who is adding even more interest to the experience by also giving visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with the drone male bee, which is only produced during spring and summer.

"The drone's sole purpose in life is to find the perfect match for mating with a new Queen bee.

"Unlike the fit and fast female bee, who does all the work, collecting pollen and making honey, while also protecting the hive, the larger male drone bee basically lounges about with his big round eyes giving the appearance he's wearing sunglasses," Hutcheson said.

"Nat's demonstration, which is viewed through a protective large glass screen allows people to be as close as possible with our bees in a natural environment and to watch how honey is produced".

The visitor centre is open from 9am to 5pm daily, with live hive demonstrations on Wednesday at 11am and Friday at 2.30pm from now through to the end of March.

As Hawke's Bay's third most popular tourist attraction, with more than 60,000 visitors each year, the Arataki Visitor Centre has been designed as a free of charge, self-discovery venue.