00:02It's a worrying trend for local beekeepers, routine checks revealing hives in poor health.
00:08Bees are not, they're not doing so well.
00:11Varroa mite was first found in the ACT last April and it's estimated to have impacted
00:16half of the Territory's 6,000 hives.
00:19It reduces the health of the hive so they can't fight off wax moth or hive beetles.
00:26A thousand hives have been completely wiped out.
00:29We have Varroa across the whole Territory.
00:32We have had it reported in every major suburb around ACT in all the corners.
00:39Beekeepers can manage Varroa mite once it's in their hives but they have to be diligent.
00:44This is a Varroa wash using methylated spirits to flush the mites off and count how many
00:50there are.
00:51What are we at?
00:5120.
00:5220?
00:53Yeah.
00:54That's still pretty alright.
00:54The ACT Government's biosecurity team is asking beekeepers to register so they can advise on
01:01how to protect their hives.
01:02If you're not testing for Varroa, you will lose your hive.
01:06The loss of bees will also affect local produce.
01:09Your veggie garden and your fruit trees will probably not be as productive because there's
01:13less pollinators around.
01:15Varroa mite is expected to have affected every beehive in the ACT within 18 months and halved
01:21the bee population but it won't wipe them out.
01:24Just know that in time the bees will emerge from this stronger and better.
01:32Experts say it will take four to five years but the bees will eventually develop a resistance
01:37to the mite.
01:38you
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