It will be a harrowing week for beekeepers and the Australian $ 1 billion almond industry after a varroa mite outbreak in New South Wales jeopardized the annual almond pollination program. Australia.
Key points:
- Crop pollination in Australia is at risk from a deadly bee parasite discovered in Newcastle harbor
- The Varroa mite paralyzes the ability of bees to fly, collect food and pollinate crops
- The NSW government has stopped all bee movements within the state and all hives within a 10-mile radius of the harbor will be destroyed.
Nearly 300,000 hives are needed for almond pollination in the next four weeks, making it Australia’s largest livestock movement.
But on Sunday, an emergency order was launched to prevent the movement of bees in New South Wales due to the discovery of the varroa mite in the port of Newcastle.
The destructive Varroa mite transmits numerous viruses, and feeds and reproduces on larvae and pupae of honey bees (bees in transition between larvae and adults), causing malformations.
Australia’s Almond Board CEO Tim Jackson said a pollination task force was waiting in case the situation escalated.
“It’s bordering on a biosecurity crisis,” he said.
“We hope this stopping measure over the next five or seven days will allow the New South Wales authorities to overcome and contain the varroa mite infestation.
“Then the working group will not be needed, as these will be able to be transported to the orchard through the three states.”
NSW has introduced emergency measures to stop the spread of varroa. (Provided by: Alex Wild, University of Texas at Austin)
Pollination pending
The ban on bee movements in NSW has put Rex Carruthers ’plans on hold.
The Sunshine Coast beekeeper makes a living by providing professional pollination services to Victoria’s almond orchards and planned to begin the first leg of a 2,000-mile journey next week, stopping at a canola crop. and Nyngan.
He hopes the authorities will not limit the eradication of honey bee hives in the Newcastle area to the hives of commercial and recreational beekeepers, but will consider options to deal with wild bees from the surrounding bushes.
“We have to eliminate any colony. Wherever the varroa mite can live, it has to be eliminated,” he said.
“Very good solid research has been done on what we call remote intoxication.
“There are large populations of wild colonies [living in tree hollows] and, in my personal opinion, perhaps we should launch a remote intoxication. “
Carruthers said varroa mites move up and down bees as they land on flowers.
“This hitchhiking effect is the way they move so fast. There are beehives everywhere so they can travel two or three miles in a single jump.”
Trevor Monson is confident authorities can keep the outbreak in NSW under control. (ABC Mildura-Swan Hill: Jennifer Douglas)
Beekeepers on alert
Bee runner and pollination specialist Trevor Monson said the controls that were being put in place in NSW to prevent all bee movements were “an absolute necessity.”
But I hoped it wasn’t a long-term measure because there were too many crops to pollinate in the coming months.
“Currently, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, avocados and, very soon, macadamias, need to have bees to pollinate them and the almond industry. [pollination] four weeks left “.
Monson was initially nervous about the raid, but was happy with the way the government and industry had handled the outbreak.
“I’m sure we can keep this thing under control.”
But he said it was another challenge for beekeepers.
Hundreds of bee hives were destroyed after a storm poured more than 100mm of rain between Mungo and Ivanhoe, NSW earlier this year. (Supplied)
“We thought we had seen it all with floods and fires and COVID … but Mother Nature has another essay [for the industry]”Mr. Monson said.
“There will be beekeepers who choose not to go to almond pollination this year because of their nervousness … and some will leave the industry.
“But if beekeepers follow the rules … there’s a good chance the plans we have in place will work.”
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Posted 11 hours, 11 hours ago, Monday, June 27, 2022 at 7:55 PM, updated 17 minutes ago, 17 minutes ago, Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at 7:28 AM