The Aussie Fight Against Varroa Continues
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- Опубліковано 24 лип 2024
- Mike goes through the latest news of the fight against Varroa. Further spread by rogue beekeeper moving hives illegally. He's responsible for the loss of many more hives and much distress to beekeepers. Thanks for nothing, A$$hole.
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I am amazed that there are still people doing the wrong thing and moving bees illegally? Why do some Beekeepers do this?
Yes, It's astonishing to think someone can be so selfish and ignorant or perhaps stupid to believe its ok to deliberately risk the destruction of hives, people's income and mental health because they think they can outfox the government. Evidently the fine and jail isn't enough of a deterrent. Maybe a public register like they have for pedophiles would work.
@@AussieMikesBees I still can't get over the old timers that just want to give up the fight and start using chemicals. I have only been in the game since 2015 and still can't fathom why there are so many people that just don't want to do the right thing?
The idiots need to stop moving bee's, pure and simple
Agreed, but idiots are as idiots do.
This feels like a train wreck happening in slow motion.
I admire your optimism.
Thanks for the update Mike.
(A little update on the Master Beekeeping Program, thanks to your introduction to it, I have passed the test out.)
Well done, Mun. Straight into Advanced. I’m sure you’ll get a lot out of it.
Hi Mike, This will expand as my two gifted nucs, (after all my hives were euthanised), I received from Doyalson and taken to Kranbach (mums property) The DPI came and did a test with some strips? They returned and we hosted the minister of Ag, DPI and Bee Assoc at our Apairy then I got the call Friday after they removed the strips that they are positive to Varroa. So I'm about to be wiped out again. I did the course, did the hive movement form, tested the girls with an alcohol wash. I used metho tho? It was negative. I must admit the DPI have been great and lots of questions to answer. The one thing I did take as a positive, was I volunteered my hives for a test by the DPI. Otherwise I'm was heading to late season split the larger hive this week, potentially spreading Varroa. I cant win a trick, But at least its now, I'm going to sit on the side and wait till the ground is clear and then start again. So expect another in the next few days.
Hey Stuart, what rotten luck you’ve had. Metho is perfect, it’s what I use. The problem is we only test a few hundred bees at a time. The mitacide strips get the phoretic mites throughout the hive, so tonnes more effective and why you had the negative result but DPI found mites. Let me know when you want to start again, I’ll give you a couple of nucs to kick off. If you have access to a blue zone property to setup, it could be sooner. All the best, mate. Mike
An update just had the investigation team here. Very nice. They have again put some strips in the hives to do another test, mite load etc. Another team will come and euthanise them soon then we will be hosting a bait to try to put a stop to the mites. Fingers crossed we get them. But the DPI did say that despite an alcohol wash prior with negative results, they believe it was still present.
Thanks for the update, Stuart. I know a lot of people say it’s futile, but this far in I’m still optimistic. Good on you for bait station hosting. The more there are, the better the odds.
Good luck to you all from the uk,if there is a chance to rid your country of the mites the sacrifice is worth it.
Thanks, Michael. I’ve just returned from a trip through Europe talking with quite a few beekeepers and the common sentiment is they wish they could turn back time and eradicate. The news here is there’s been more spread through illegal hive relocations. Now I’m on the edge of the surveillance (purple) zone. We’ve had an early start to Spring so swarms will be the next challenge for containment.
Hi Mike.
What's the latest on varroa???
There has been some recent spread all caused by what I call Feral Beekeepers. These are the conspiracy theorists who believe the varroa response is a ploy by government to control them. They've moved their hives out of the red zones and when the surveillance program discovers mites in the relocated sites, a new red zone is declared and all the beekeepers in that 10km radius can thank that Feral Beekeeper for the loss of their bees.
Enough of the rant. The DPI are still confident they'll eradicate Varroa. They know where the boundary is and are working their way in from the outer edges toward the centre of each red zone or combined red zone. Extensive fipronil baiting is targeting feral bees and unregistered hives within the red zone. With the relative winter dearth, the baiting will be more effective.
When you look at the map of Australia and the size of the red zone, it's not that large. The rest of the country are all watching and hoping that we win this fight. many of the volunteers come from interstate. Although there's a lot of bees being killed in the process, the plan is all about saving the bees.
I'll do an update video soon. Just been crazy busy lately.
Cheers,
Mike
CHEERS HOPE YA HAVE A WIN.