Bees are the foundation of the honey industry. The process of making honey also involves transferring pollen and causing new seeds to germinate. So bees are seen as a sign of a healthy ecosystem. The scientific world is also giving special consideration to the protection of small insects including bees in view of the changing weather conditions. But Australia is preparing for the opposite. Australia plans to cull up to a million bees to protect one of the country’s main agricultural industries, honey production.
Beekeeping is called apiculture. It is a logical question how the industry can protect bees by killing them when they are the basis of apiculture’s existence. The varroa mite, a parasite, has brought bees and the bee industry into this crisis. For example, if bird flu is found in our country, ducks and chickens are killed en masse to prevent it from spreading to other places. A similar situation exists in Australia.
The varroa mite parasite has now been found in bees in the southeastern region of Australia. Bees infected with this parasite were recently found near Sydney Harbour. The honey industry is a multi-billion dollar monthly revenue industry in Australia. In this situation, the authorities decided to take drastic measures to prevent the bees infected with the parasite from reaching other places.
Varroa mite
Varroa mites are parasites about the size of a mustard seed. They are also known as Varroa destructors. They attack beehives. It then dominates the hive and begins to slowly attack and kill the bees in the hive. Just one of these pale red-brown in color is enough to destroy an entire hive. A parasite attacks these bees by changing from one bee to another. They can weaken the health of the bee in a short period of time.
Their presence was first confirmed near Newcastle harbor last week. Within a week, they were found in four hundred other places. Nests in areas where their presence has already been detected have been destroyed. It is estimated that at least 60 lakh bees have died due to this. Apart from this, the authorities have now imposed a ban on moving bees, hives or related equipment from one place to another.
A worldwide threat
This is not the first time that varroa mites have threatened bees. These parasites have threatened the bee trade many times in different parts of the world. But these figures are officially collected from beekeepers. Environmentalists say that these parasites are also killing bees in forests and other natural habitats. Bees are essential creatures for human survival. But they also point out that the number of these bees is decreasing significantly due to the attack of varroa fleas.
In their attack, the bees will first lose their ability to work and then lose their ability to walk and fly. With this, the bees will die without getting food. A similar situation can soon be seen in other bees in the colony. With this, each nest or colony is destroyed by the attack of these parasites. Everything from large bees to eggs can be attacked by them.
English Summary: Why Australia has had to kill millions of bees to save its honey industry