Beekeepers prepare for Varroa mite in the ACT region

Beekeepers around the ACT are preparing for the inevitable arrival of the deadly Varroa mite.

Transcript

00:00So the varroa mite is a tiny little mite that you can see with the naked eye and it

00:15basically sits on bees and sort of sucks, not necessarily their blood, but parts of

00:21the bee and it reduces their lifespan.

00:25So that means that the bees are having less time to go out and forage, bringing in less

00:32honey.

00:33It also means that wild bee colonies are dying off or will die off once varroa gets here.

00:47I think it's inevitable that varroa will get to our region and the more hobby beekeepers,

00:54semi-commercial and commercial beekeepers that are trained in how to deal with varroa

00:59before it gets here, I think the better prepared we can be.

01:02As far as I'm aware, we can't prevent it, we can only slow the spread.

01:07So maintaining really good records, if you're moving your bees at all, is one of the paramount

01:14things you can do.

01:15But also not having your equipment in your hives and then taking them over to other hives

01:21as well.

01:22Or if you are, making sure you're sanitising gloves, suits, hive tools, all of that sort

01:29of equipment.

01:30But if you can avoid cross-contamination between different apiaries, it's definitely the way

01:34to go.

01:35Again and again, sometimes.

01:36Occasionally you get new ones.

01:37Photos.

01:38Oh, you spun around to take a photo of yourself.