Why have Australian honeybees been put into lockdown? Podcast

The varroa mite, a deadly honeybee parasite, has finally found its way into Australia.Varroa destructoraffects every other major beekeeping area in the world, damaging honeybees and transmitting viruses across hives. Now, in a fight to contain the mite, the state of New South Wales has destroyed 1,533 infected hives and implemented a statewide standstill on bee movement. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Cooper Schouten, a beekeper and researcher, about why the mite poses such a threat to honeybees, what it means to put bees into lockdown, and what impacts this biosecurity breech could have.Archive: 7News Australia, WSPA 7NewsContinue reading...

Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - July 12, 2022 Category: Science Authors: Presented and produced by Madeleine Finlay with additional production by Anand Jagatia, sound design by Rudi Zygadlo, and the executive producer was Lorna Stewart Tags: Science Environment Bees Insects Wildlife Australia news Source Type: news