The recent arrival of the Varroa destructor mite in this country – a mite which feeds and reproduces on honeybee larvae and pupae causing deformities and transmitting viruses – has shone the spotlight on how a lack of biodiversity can lead to what is now being called an ‘emergency’ and the number one threat for Australia’s bee industry.
It also affirms how native bees and other native pollinators – supported by PlantingSeeds’ B&B Highway – need to be encouraged and championed to support local ecosystems and biodiversity.
As reported on ABC Rural, farmers who have ensured native bee populations are booming on their orchards are ‘breathing a sigh of relief with the insect immune from the biosecurity emergency involving a hive-killing mite’.
As entomologist, Dr Tim Heard, said, the biology of the mite, their life cycle and the way they feed on their host is very much in tune with their host. “And so we don’t believe that they can jump to other species, including our native bees.’
This incursion by the Varroa mite reveals how Australia’s focus on European honeybees for pollination of crops and the production of honey exposes our agriculture to biosecurity emergencies.
One estimate is this that this could cost the honeybee industry $70 million with flow-on effects to the crops that use honeybees for pollination.
Of course, honeybees remain a highly important pollinator of crops such as almonds and berries and efforts need to be taken to mitigate this problem. Treatments include implementing artificial intelligence (AI) technology in hives that scans incoming bees for the Varroa mite and various washes and powders. In many cases, colonies need to be locked down or destroyed.
However, it is important to foster research into native bees and crop pollination such as the positive results emerging from macadamia farmers who encourage the native Tetragonula carbonaria to pollinate their crops.
Other research demonstrates how the native Blue Banded bees are helping the Australian greenhouse tomato industry.
All pointing to the key word ‘diversity’ inherent in ‘biodiversity’.