| Small Hive Beetle Thrives |
| SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
- Some beekeepers are suggesting that every bee colony in Sydney
and its surrounding areas should be eradicated to wipe out the
small hive beetle. The drastic suggestion has been floated in an attempt to save exports, The beetle, which arrived from South Africa about a year ago, is threatening a small but growing market for live bees in the northern hemisphere. The plan could also cover other parts of New South Wales and Queensland where infected hives have been found. The consultative committee on emergency animal diseases - which will advise the federal and state governments on what action to take - was given the eradication proposal but there was no detail on how the eradication would be be carried out. Once eradicated, the area would have to be kept free of bees for from three to six months to ensure the beetle is wiped out. Then the area would be restocked with bees from beetle-free areas of Australia. The committee estimated the cost would be more than A$6 million in New South Wales with half paid by governments. But Sydney University school of biological sciences senior lecturer Ben Oldroyd said eradication is impossible. Oldroyd's research has found there are between 50 and 150 feral bee colonies per square kilometer in the Sydney basin. "Every feral colony anyone has looked at has been infested," he said. "Eradication is impossible, it's crazy, it can't be done. It's preposterous. If they were serious about eradicating every feral bee in the Sydney basin it would cost tens of millions and I don't think there's a hope in Hades of it working." The committee failed to come to any conclusion and will meet again later this month. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Kim Flottum Editor, Bee Culture Magazine http://www.airoot.com/beeculture/index.html |