Varroa mite outbreak and response sparks backyard beekeeper exodus
Varroa mite outbreak and response sparks backyard beekeeper exodus
Australia's decision to abandon efforts to eradicate varroa mite is triggering an exodus of backyard and hobby beekeepers, with thousands already selling their bee smokers and hanging up their bee suits.
Australia's decision to abandon efforts to eradicate varroa mite is triggering an exodus of backyard and hobby beekeepers.
A lot of hives destroyed NSW Amateur Beekeepers Association president Lamorna Osborne said about a quarter of the association's members had to euthanase hives as part of the varroa mite response.
They estimate hundreds of Flow Hive owners had to euthanise their hives as part of the varroa mite response, but hope those beekeepers will restock their colonies.
"So we hope we can encourage them back into beekeeping, and we know there's many that are keen because we're getting requests from those now orange zones — 'when can I keep bees again?'"
Kempsey amateur beekeeper Stephen Hutson believes people would still want to keep bees.
"People have pets, and if you treat the cost of treatment and the time that you spend with them as you do with other pets then it's not going to be a problem," Mr Hutson said.
I'm seeing more native bees and hoverflies in my yard this year at least...
They were full month too early though...
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Australia's decision to abandon efforts to eradicate varroa mite is triggering an exodus of backyard and hobby beekeepers.
Stuart and Cedar Anderson revolutionised backyard beekeeping with their Flow Hive invention eight years ago.
"We now have an agricultural system that relies on this species Apis mellifera, the European honeybee, which does an extraordinary amount of pollination," he said.
Southern Cross University bee expert Dr Cooper Schouten said research from the US and New Zealand shows the transition will be difficult but the industry as a whole will rebound.
Kempsey beekeeper Stephen Hutson is just happy he does not have to destroy his bees and is not deterred by added costs and requirements.
"To be a good steward on the planet, I think, is part of that process, and without bees there's a lot of things that will never produce fruit."
The original article contains 676 words, the summary contains 136 words. Saved 80%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!