Asian Bees

[philinacoma]

I heard tonight that the federal government, in a feat of monumental stupidity, is ceasing funding for the control and eradication of the Asian Honeybee.

My understanding is that are poor pollinators, poor honey producers, aggressive breeders with our queens and their traits hold with the progeny. They are also big on swarming.

Lone, are you anywhere near the outbreak in Queensland?

[AllenF]

Are they stopping because of the money or because they do not think they can not stop them from moving south?

[Vetch]

Kim Flottum wrote an interesting bit about that general issue and the international shipment of Australian bees to the US.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/bees/asian-honey-bee-88122201

[OzBuzz]

I heard tonight that the federal government, in a feat of monumental stupidity, is ceasing funding for the control and eradication of the Asian Honeybee.

My understanding is that are poor pollinators, poor honey producers, aggressive breeders with our queens and their traits hold with the progeny. They are also big on swarming.

Lone, are you anywhere near the outbreak in Queensland?

What? That's crazy! they might as well sign the varroa death certificate now for the Australian industry!

[Mardak]

You are correct, Fed. Government is defunding the monitoring destruction program in Queensland. Absolute idiocy just look at Tonga? all apis milfera virtually wiped out over about eight years. 2000 hives down to five. Apis cerana are more dominant genetic material when they bond with feral milfera. These buggers spend millions advertising a failed health reform package yet won't waste my taxes on apis cerana.

Log onto www.securefoodsavebees.com to protest to federal Minister responsible for this irresponsible decision.

[Lone]

Good grief,
Oz is right, the response when apis cerana was first observed was mainly because of the varroa threat not the poor pollination.  So far though, none of the colonies destroyed have had varroa.  I haven't read up on it yet, but is this the reason they are stopping funding?  Or is it because apis cerana has completely gotten away? 
We are still the only varroa free country.  We certainly need to do something, because if there is not an effort to seek out colonies, then the new ones that island hop their way here might have varroa!  And they multiply so much, there needs to be more action, not less.
Now, how much funding is involved in one bloke and a small team responding to sightings and moving their sugar tray closer till they find the colony?
I wouldn't be surprised though to hear the daintree is completely overrun already.  It is dense rainforest, and in the area where they have been. The tablelands has a lot of rainforest, and west of there is sparse population, large stations where they could hide.  Phil, here is a little geography lesson.  I am 5 and a half hours fast drive south of the Atherton Tablelands.  The tablelands and Cairns area had been quarantined and bee movement prohibited.  They stopped the quarantine at one stage but I suppose they put it back when they found more colonies.

I am upset to hear this.  Maybe they are saving pennies for disaster relief and closing any programs they can.  Bob Katter lives here somewhere.  If he doesn't like asian bananas, he certainly won't care for asian bees.
All right, I found his phone number on a calendar on the fridge.  I might give him a call when I find out more.  1300301942

Lone

[Mardak]

The Varoa we do have is called Varoa Destructor. Asian bees carry another strain of Varoa that is of concern to all of us here in Australia. Bee Doctor Denis Anderson has done years of research into these Varoa and there are some real concerns that Government do not understand or do not want to know about.

[OzBuzz]

The Varoa we do have is called Varoa Destructor. Asian bees carry another strain of Varoa that is of concern to all of us here in Australia. Bee Doctor Denis Anderson has done years of research into these Varoa and there are some real concerns that Government do not understand or do not want to know about.

We already have V. destructor?

[Lone]

They haven't found any kind of varroa in Australia yet.  The other kind of varroa found in PNG is V. jacobsoni, which then attacked apis mellifera, as in the film Honeybee Blues.  So that too is a concern here because of the proximity.

Phil, where are the news reports about ceasing the funding?  We are going to have to gather some evidence.

Lone

[Mardak]

There is an article in The Age yesterday about the funding and comments from DPI and a few aparists and the VAA about the situation. Came through on Google news alerts.

[yantabulla]

This is the link to the article in The Age.

http://news.theage.com.au/national/fear-over-bee-colony-destroying-mite-20070522-e52.html

You may find that it was the QLD government that reduced the funding for eradication of asian bees. 

Either way it is important work & it should continue.

[Lone]

Hello yantabulla,

That article is from 2007.
Here is one from yesterday, but it doesn't say anythings about ceasing funding.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/fight-the-mites-might-20110218-1azqe.html

Lone

[yantabulla]

G'day Lone, 

Sorry about that.  This article may be more relevant.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/sunday-mail/asian-bee-scourge-packs-4b-sting/story-e6frep2f-1226008665063

Just about to storm here after a hot day.

[Mardak]

It will be interesting to see how we manage the Cerana as they continue to develop. Another pest that goes onto the endemic list. I wonder how far down South they will spread over the few years?

[yantabulla]

Lone,

Have you called the man in the big hat yet?

[Lone]

Hello,
Thanks for that.  It sounds like the cerana are out of control.  If they have travelled 80km in all directions from one colony in 4 years, then I expect the spread will be faster now.  I don't know if the beekeepers in those regions have had any problems yet from interbreeding. 

I'm still on nightshifts yantabulla, but I should be able to give the cameldriver a call this week.

Lone

[Mardak]

There is a meeting of as many bee Keepers as possible in Canberra on March 1 & 2 to meet and discuss with any politicians who will listen about the potential damage to food security in Australia related to this decision about the Cerana problem. Everyone is invited.

[philinacoma]

Phil, here is a little geography lesson.  I am 5 and a half hours fast drive south of the Atherton Tablelands.  The tablelands and Cairns area had been quarantined and bee movement prohibited.  They stopped the quarantine at one stage but I suppose they put it back when they found more colonies.

Hey, I don't need a geography lesson! All I know about where you are is "North Queensland" 

[Lone]

Now sit up straight and pay attention, Phil.    Innisfail is in Far North Queensland, which is north of North Queensland. 

I gave Bob's office a call today, but only having had the 30 second experience of politics every couple of years at the polling booth, I didn't have the ability to get any further than the girl at the desk.  No I couldn't talk to him, he's in parliament.  You can with an appointment.  When I said ok to that, she asked what it was about then told me to send an email.  She avoided the question about whether he will read the email, even after I stressed the implications, and said the office will send it to the relevant minister.  It seems to me that if Bob's in parliament then he should be speaking for the people of "the bush" in his region of Kennedy.  I guess it is likely he will be in Canberra at the time of the protest on March the 2nd, so he should have some information about the matter.
I have seen him get fired up about the most mundane topics and it is quite fun to watch.  But if the desk girls keep blocking the information about apis cerana, it sounds like I won't get anywhere.  Can anyone give some advice please?

Lone

[OzBuzz]

Just a thought Lone - what if we all emailed him? someone has to stand up in politics! pulling out of this program is stupid and irresponsible!