Varroa in AU?

Nugget Shooter · July 06, 2016, 02:16:35 PM

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-06/varroa-mites-found-in-townsville/7572540

PhilK · July 06, 2016, 08:09:01 PM

Not what I wanted to read...

GSF · July 07, 2016, 08:21:28 AM

OAV! OAV! OAV!

Oldbeavo · July 07, 2016, 08:31:18 AM

It is not Varoa destructor, but V. jacobsoni and is found on Asian honey bees.

Google it!

GSF · July 07, 2016, 08:41:56 AM

You're right, they have different color eyes (lol) OAV Baby!

Wouldn't that be like getting the Asian flu compared to the European flu?

Acebird · July 07, 2016, 08:53:18 AM

Quote from: GSF on July 07, 2016, 08:21:28 AM
OAV! OAV! OAV!

This will not eradicate the mite. If the mites have landed in AU they will have to deal with them. Short of burning hives I can't think of anything that would stop the spread of varroa.

Oldbeavo · July 07, 2016, 10:45:44 AM

Asian honey bees are feral in northern Australia and the Varoa jacobsoni was found in a hive at a port that may have came in a ship etc. There were only a few mites found.
Aus beeks have been working to get rid of Asian bees for years prior to this after the government dropped funding for eradication of A, cerana.
We hope this hasn't spread into A. melifera.

GSF · July 07, 2016, 01:58:55 PM

This will not eradicate the mite - agreed, in my apiary it's keep the numbers down to a manageable level.

Oldbeavo - Hope it all turns out well for yall.

Acebird · July 07, 2016, 04:11:52 PM

I think it is physically impossible to eradicate a bug intentionally.

PhilK · July 07, 2016, 08:02:26 PM

On further reading this is not the first time Varroa have been found in Australia. Been seen in a few ports around the place. The colonies are destroyed