Beekeeping – Monstrous mites

It is that time of year when our beehives are wintering over and the rainy and cold conditions are not really conducive for peeking inside hives, thus leaving us beekeepers forlorn and with extra time on our hands. Now I realise this might conjure up visions of beekeepers languishing on chaise longues in front of roaring fires. However, the truth is that winter is often a time for bee education and preparation for the next season. So, I decided to head off to Rotorua to participate in the Apiculture NZ 2019 Conference.

Here is the first thing that made the conference room go, wow! A young Afro-American, Dr Samuel Ramsey, captivated the entire room with his knowledge and passion for bees. He started by explaining how scientific literature and teaching throughout the world regarding the Varroa destructor mite was incorrect. In fact, until his PhD research was recently published, we had all believed that the Varroa mite (an external parasite of honey bees) had fed on the blood of both adults and larva. Guess what, it does not. How did scientists get it wrong? Well, when Varroa appeared in Indonesia 50 years ago, very little was known about it, and most of the scientific literature available was only in Russian and Chinese. Scientists had to rely on research they could neither read nor reproduce and many opted to cite the first English language papers.

But if Varroa mites are not feeding on blood, what are they feeding on? Ramsey’s research has shown that Varroa mites have a voracious appetite for the honey bee organ called the ‘fat body’. I had never heard about bees’ fat body, so I was speechless to hear that it serves many of the same vital functions carried out by the human liver. Honey bee fat bodies store nutrients, produce antioxidants and help to manage the bees’ immune system. Loss of this tissue impairs a bee’s ability to detoxify pesticides and robs them of vital food stores. Furthermore, the fat body plays a key role in the process of metamorphosis, regulating the timing and activity of key hormones, plus it produces the wax that covers part of bees’ exoskeletons, thus keeping water in and diseases out. Dr Ramsey’s research will hopefully transform our understanding of the primary threats to honey bees, while pointing the way toward more effective and targeted approaches to future mite treatments.

Finally, Bruce Clow, of Ceracell Beekeeping Supplies NZ, believes NZ honey can command a 100 per cent premium over the global average price for honey. Mr Clow is in the final throes of setting up a NZ Honey Producers’ Co-op with the participation and funding of beekeepers from throughout NZ. He believes that excellent branding, combined with our quality honey and beekeepers working together, can create a bright future. Bruce will be presenting on the NZ Honey Producers Co-op at Warkworth Primary School on Wednesday, August 14 at 7.15pm. All welcome.

Grass Esposti
grass.esposti@gmail.com