Bee-ware of Australia’s Pollinator Crisis
Tiny but mighty, the Varroa mite poses a big threat to Australia’s honeybee population as recent reports declare their first official detection outside New South Wales as of late August 2024.
The Varroa Destructor mite is one of the most harmful pests in the world, feeding on and eventually destroying honey bee colonies. Despite being previously detected in marine ports outside of NSW, strict containment efforts by dedicated beekeepers had successfully kept the threat under control and out of beehives. But an August discovery would oversee a mite infestation in a hive in Mildura, Victoria, with beekeepers worrying for the future of honey production if they continue to spread.
Ray Hull, Vice President of the NSW Apiarists Association and committed beekeeper, joined 2SER for more.
