By PHILIPPA STEVENSON
Beekeepers are hoping to turn the tables on the parasite killing their bees using economic arguments to convince the Government that a costly eradication programme is essential.
Yesterday, an emotional National Beekeepers Association executive member, Lin McKenzie, spoke of beekeepers' anguish over the invasion of the deadly Varroa mite.
"These monsters are eating our bees alive. Beekeepers are passionate about our bees and this mite is killing them," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.
At the Auckland mite search headquarters, Mr McKenzie, whose own Otago operation is bordered by an apiary which was suspected of having the mite, said confirmed finds of the mite at Ohope in the eastern Bay of Plenty and a suspected finding in Rotorua were discouraging.
But there was always an upside, he said.
In this case it was that both finds related to moves of bees or equipment from the known infected Auckland area, and the tracing system had found them.
Police and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry have investigated five breaches of the ban on the movement of bees or equipment in the North Island control area.
Yesterday, police said two had been groundless and two had been referred back to MAF to decide whether to prosecute.
Mr McKenzie said the association would offer MAF its own calculations of the bee industry's worth to the economy.
Work is going on to update figures which in 1993 showed that the direct income from beekeeping, including honey and live bee sales, crop pollinating and returns on beeswax and health products was more than $48 million.
Calculations from 1992 estimated that the value of crops which cannot exist without bee pollination including vegetables, clover seed and fruit were worth more than $1.2 billion. The cost of replacing the nitrogen-fixing properties of bee-pollinated clover topped $1.8 billion.
Cropping farmers, recognising the bees' value to them, have urged the Government to take all possible measures to eradicate the mite.
"Much of the high-value seed multiplication industry is totally dependent on bees for the fertilisation process required to produce viable seed," said Grains Council chairman Neil Barton.
Mr McKenzie said: "The implications, as we work through them, just become more and more mind boggling."
For instance, radish seed growers in Canterbury currently hired beehives for $60 each. A beekeeper servicing the sector had calculated that could rise to $300 a hive if the mite remained.
The increase would come from the higher costs of dealing with the mite, such as miticide use, delays caused by withholding periods, a greater workload to keep hives healthy and, potentially, the loss of the market premium at present enjoyed by New Zealand's clean, green products.
Mr McKenzie estimated a requirement for more intensive hive management would mean a beekeeper with 700 or 800 hives now would be forced to reduce that to nearer 500.
Meanwhile, the mite would still be killing bees even with miticide use, while also reducing the vigour of the hive.
That might mean more hives would need to be used in kiwifruit pollination, which already demands the bulk of available hives.
Because of the possibility of other pests or diseases being brought in on bees imported to New Zealand, the industry would "resist vigorously to the last dollar" proposals to import bees.
Replacement hives could be created from existing ones - the industry already does this to service its own needs and the live bee export trade.
"The expertise is there and, particularly if the South Island remains clear [of Varroa], the bees are there."
But there would be costs to that, too, because "you are not exporting them and honey production will be down in the hives you are taking the bees from."
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from New Zealand
Rogue ram kills couple in their West Auckland paddock
It is understood police believe the man went out to check on the ram and did not return.