Varroa mite continues to pose one of the biggest threats to Australia’s beekeeping and pollination-dependent industries. Around one third of our food comes from crops pollinated by bees.
In the fight to keep the industry healthy beekeepers and bee industry representatives are gathering today at Southern Cross University for the official launch of the Bee Research and Extension Lab.
Critical honey bee research
The lab, a new project, will undertake critical honey bee research and extension, with a focus on managing the devastating Varroa destructor mite.
Despite the largest biosecurity response in Australia’s history, Varroa continues to pose one of the biggest threats to Australia’s beekeeping and pollination-dependent industries. Around one third of our food comes from crops pollinated by bees.
Director of the new Bee Research and Extension Lab, Dr Cooper Schouten, said today that Varroa is the leading cause of colony losses globally, and bees in Australia are naive to this pest. ‘We have 35 pollination-dependant crops in Australia that need healthy honey bees for viable pollination,’ he said
Bee labs closing down
‘The majority of our bee labs in Australian universities have been closing down as their leaders, among many technical experts in the industry, have retired. We urgently need more capacity.
‘At Southern Cross University we are seeking to fill part of that void by developing new research to support local beekeepers, and ensure our food security.’
A priority for the new Bee Lab will be undertaking applied research on more affordable Varroa controls, developing practical guides with beekeepers and working with queen bee breeders to develop more Varroa-tolerant queen bees for Australian conditions.
‘We have decades of Varroa research and industry experience we can draw on from other countries, yet Australia has unique climate, biodiversity and agricultural systems.
Investing time and resources
‘To protect against Varroa, beekeepers will need to invest significant time and resources to monitor, manage and replace colonies, and we can work with them to develop and communicate the latest research about how to do that and remain profitable.’
If left unchecked, the parasitic Varroa mite can devastate bee populations, feeding on pupae and adult bees, spreading viruses, crippling bees’ ability to fly, orientate and communicate and eventually causing hive collapse.
The new Bee Lab builds on a decade of research and extension work by the Bees for Sustainable Livelihoods (B4SL) research group at the University. Funded by Southern Cross and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), B4SL has driven projects to increase the profitability and resilience of beekeeping industries and businesses across the Indo-Pacific region.
The new Bee Lab is based in the Northern Rivers. The on-campus apiary provides opportunities for student engagement and a Bee Club for aspiring beekeepers to learn more about the University’s research and the art and science of beekeeping.
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