I was wondering if anyone on the Forum could enlighten me further in regards to the article in our local News paper today. What steps should I take if any ??? … and is this as dramatic as the Media is making it sound ??
"A KILLER bee that could wipe out the Territory’s main bee source is on the loose in Darwin. "
This link will take you to the Article >>>> http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/killer-bees-could-present-sting-in-tail-for-our-crops/story-fnk0b1zt-1227435823816
Hi Allen, the media frenzy does makes it all doom and gloom, unfortunately this time it is very serious. The incursion of the Asian Honeybee (cerana) in North Queensland is the reason why we can no longer export our bees to the U.S. and many other countries. The Asian bee is the natural host of varroa jacobsonii (cousin to varroa destructor) which has been shown to jump hosts to the European Honeybee (mellifera), should a colony or swarm or Asian bees carry a varroa mite into the country, there goes our varroa free status. At present any Asian colony that is found must be destroyed then inspected for mites, fortunately no mites have been detected in colonies on our shores except for some that were destroyed on ships visiting our shores.