Australia honey bees put in lockdown due to deadly varroa parasite

Australia honey bees put in lockdown due to deadly varroa parasite

Subject :Agriculture

Section: Msc

Context: Millions of Australian bees are in “lockdown” and thousands will be destroyed after a deadly parasite was detected in the country.

Varroa mites

The Varroa mite, or Varroa destructor, is a parasitic insect that lives off honey bee larvae and adult honey bees. These tiny red pests look similar to ticks and like ticks can carry harmful viruses. If a honey bee contracts a virus in the larval stage, adult honey bees can emerge malformed and weak. If each new generation continues to emerge weak, this can lead to the colony collapsing.

Origin:

Varroa mites are an invasive species that originated in Asia, and spread to all continents where honey bees reside, except for Australia.

• The varroa destructor was first found at a port near Sydney last week but has since been spotted in hives 100km away.
• The outbreak threatens to cost the honey and food production industries millions of dollars.
• Keepers inside a new biosecurity zone will not be able to move hives, bees or honeycombs until further notice.
• Australia was the only continent free of the varroamites, which are the biggest threat to bees worldwide.
• The pests – which are about the size of a sesame seed – weaken and kill colonies by feasting on them and transmitting viruses.

Why it is important?

Bees are vital to our survival. They help pollinate our food and keep our ecosystem in balance. Without them, there would be massive food shortages and ecological collapse.