Crop failure fears as deadly #bee #parasite wipes out hives and forces #beekeepers to quit.
A new report has predicted a shortfall of close to 300,000 #beehives for this year's peak #crop #pollination season in August, as the deadly parasite #varroamite wipes out bees.
The cost of managing varroa and the development of insecticide resistance is forcing half of Australia's beekeepers to quit.
#Queensland #beekeepers paying thousands each month to fend off #varroamite as colonies devastated.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-04/varroa-mite-devastating-queensland-honey-bees/106749192
Hobby #beekeepers urged to check for #varroa #mite as more than 1,000 ACT #beehives #destroyed.
The impact of verroa mite will be felt by more than just beekeepers, with the loss of #pollinators likely to also disrupt #fruit and #vegetable yields in the area.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-08/act-varroa-mite-sees-over-1000-beehives-destroyed/106534718
First detected in South Australia's Riverland region in September, the #varroamite has since been found in numerous sites across the state, including the Limestone Coast, the Adelaide Hills and the Fleurieu Peninsula.
The number of detections has increased in recent weeks.
President of the #Beekeepers Society of SA, Bob Beer, said everyone was on high alert.
"The mite's move into the state has always been a case of not if, but when," he said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-23/beekeepers-on-high-alert-varroa-mite-spreads-sa/106169566
The varroa mite may be tiny — only a millimetre or two long — but it poses a huge threat to honey bees, beekeepers and honey producers, who are on high alert after the destructive mite's recent arrival in South Australia.
This is such typical Australian problem:
No private or political interest in funding vital native bee research in Australia.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2023-11-25/australian-native-bee-research-funding-lacking-researchers-sa/103146584
#AusPol #AusBiz #AgChatOz #Science #Research #Innovation #VarroaMite #Biodiversity #Sustainability #Medicine #Nutrition
Random thought/idea:
Per-hive varroa mite laser eradication process.
Have the best go through a narrow tube so they are single file.
Stop the bee under the target zone.
Use optical detection to spot the mite (AI learning?).
Target the mite and use a laser to zap it with zero harm to the bee. Laser should be directable and able to access the bee from all around.
Allow the bee to proceed through the tube to a collection area. Inspect bee for damage.
Once a hive is cleansed, check the empty hive for more mites before reintroducing the bees.
If this sounds similar to cow/sheep dip then you get the idea. Using a laser is pesticide-free.
The design needs to be simple, compact, portable, and open source for cheap and rapid deployment.
Australia abandons efforts to eradicate deadly #parasite #varroamite after 15 months #bees
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-20/varroa-mite-eradication-efforts-abandoned-australia/102876418
John 
Der Donautalimker
wyvernsrose
Matt Willemsen
Ken S
stuvik (Will)
Mojo ♻️