US research has changed the bee industry's understanding of the small mite that is threatening Australia's honey production. Can it also provide a tool to eradicate it?
abc.net.au/news/varroa-mite-research-into-how-to-stop-bee-destroying-parasite/102370080The varroa "destructor" mite has spread across the globe in the past 50 years, decimating bee populations everywhere, and now it is in Australia.The mites are feeding on bees' fatty liver tissue, not their bloodCould new research in the United States help to stop the spread?
"The saliva is what's liquefying it [the liver], and so even though they can't eat all of it, they destroy a big chunk of it when they feed."Samuel Ramsay's PhD research shows varroa are not after a bee's blood, but their liver. Professor Ramsay describes varroa mites as very successful, invasive species with a unique breeding system which allows them to establish a new colony with just one mite.They mate and when the cell is uncapped and the bee escapes, the female mite is already pregnant and ready to reproduce.Authorities in NSW have held varroa at bay by launching the state's biggest biosecurity response ever, locking down beekeepers, halting trade with other states, torching hives and killing millions of bees.
"This has definitely crushed a few dreams, watching people around me have difficulty accepting the loss of their colonies," Ms Giggins said.Joanna Read is hopeful the new research will lead to ways to control or kill the varroa mite. "When it is officially established in the environment … it is unlikely to be eradicated and it would be a worthwhile endeavour to transition to management.""A lot of the chemicals that are available for management of varroa are broad spectrum … so a dosage that's slightly too high can kill the big bug we love: the honey bee," he said.
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