This is an interesting article. Varroa mites are spreading across Australia, and the beekeepers there have no experience in dealing with them. What makes it even worse for them is they have small hive beetles, something we do not have here. Small hive beetles really mess up a hive, breeding incredibly fast and sliming up the combs into a stinking mess that have to be chucked out. Strong healthy hives can often resist the hive beetles, but hives weakened by varroa can be easy targets for them. So beekeepers are getting high losses of hives to hive beetles, they are saying the losses are caused by hive beetles, but probably, the hive beetles are a secondary infection and the main issue was the varroa infection.
While Aussie was trying to eradicate varroa when they first were discovered, there were a bunch of Aussie beekeepers opposing the eradication program, objecting to infected hives being killed, and running a kind of "save the bees" type campaign. Wonder how those people are feeling now.
theconversation.com
While Aussie was trying to eradicate varroa when they first were discovered, there were a bunch of Aussie beekeepers opposing the eradication program, objecting to infected hives being killed, and running a kind of "save the bees" type campaign. Wonder how those people are feeling now.
Australian honeybees are under attack by mites and beetles. Here’s how to keep your backyard hive safe
Varroa mites and small hive beetles are threatening Australian honey producers. Here’s how backyard beekeepers, and everyday honey lovers, can help.
theconversation.com
