Promotion of native bees in the Torres Strait

Objectives

• To prevent the movement of Tropilaelaps clarae and Varroa jacobsoni mites from Papua New Guinea to mainland Australia, via the Torres Strait Islands.

Both of these mites occur in Papua New Guinea, where they have had a devastating effect on the populations of European honeybee (Apis mellifera). The Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) is the natural host of the Varroa mite. Asian honey bee and the Varroa mite have spread from Irian Jaya into Papua New Guinea and onto three of the islands of the Torres Strait. Currently the nearest population of European honey bees is on Hammond Island, in the Torres Strait, about 100 kilometres tot he south of these three islands.

Our best prospect of keeping mainland Australia free of these mites is to maintain this separation of the two populations of honeybees.

However, there is a perception, among some islanders, that honeybees are essential to the production of food plants. In fact, the bulk of traditional crops either do not require pollination agents, or are pollinated by native bees and/or other agents.

Research

The variety of native bees occurring on the islands has been determined. Also, the variety of fruit trees (native and introduced) that are commonly utilised has been catalogued, along with the range of food crops currently under production in the region.

The benefits of the native bees in production of the fruits and crops have been promoted via various booklets and promotional material.

Outcomes/Publications

An illustrated booklet outlining which of the food crops require pollination and which are pollinated by the native bees and other insects. Two thousand of these were delivered to the Torres Strait in January 1997, for distribution through the region.

An activity book for school has been produced and distributed to Primary Schools in the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) around Bamaga. The book promoted the native (stingless) honeybees (Trigona spp and Austroplebeia spp.) as the local hero, "Trigon", fighting off the invading Asian honeybees, as well as other quarantine themes.

Heavy duty, plastic baggage tags featuring the ‘heroic’ Trigon, produced in May 1996, have been distributed. Two thousand of these were produced. The label also features the Top Watch logo which was promoted by Mal Meninga in 1993.

A twelve-page booklet detailing the life histories of selected native bees from the region has been produced. The text is illustrated with line drawings and a four-page colour ‘centrefold’ shows some of the native bees, as well as a resting swarm of Asian honeybees. Two thousand booklets, plus an extra thousand copies of the colour insert, have been produced and are ready for distribution in the Torres Strait, via the schools extension program.

Project No: DAQ-203A

Researcher: Ms Judith Grimshaw

Organisation: AQIS, Department of Primary Industries (Qld), PO Box 1054, MAREEBA QLD 4880

Contacts: Phone: (07) 4092 8448    Fax: (07) 4092 3593     E-mail: judy.grimshaw@dpie.gov.au

Production of a video on external exotic honey bee parasites

Objectives

• Honeybees like most living organisms are susceptible to a variety of parasites that have harmful effects on colony development and productivity. Australia is free from serious parasites of honeybees.

The production team of Mr. Phillip McLellan, Research Officer (Media) and Mr. Bruce White, Program Leader (Apiary Products) travelled to Thailand to video footage of exotic parasites and races of bees with the cooperation of Dr. Michael Burgett from Portland in the United States and staff at the University of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand.

Outcomes

The video will enable beekeepers to identify the honeybee parasites

• Varroa (Varroa jacpbsoni)
• Tracheal Mites (Acarapis woodi internus)
• Tropilaelaps (Tropilaelaps clareae)

The video has close up shots of all the parasites and exotic races of bees.

For each of the parasites the video shows the relationship of the parasite with the various races of bees and the parasites world distribution.

The biology of the parasites on the European honeybee, effects how to correctly inspect colonies for each parasite, how the parasite could be spread between colonies, control of the parasite and the impact of the parasites should they enter Australia and the action that would be taken.

The video also outlines the strict quarantine surveillance at points of entry and the use of detector dogs.

A section also covers the honeybee quarantine station that with approval from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service allows honeybees to be legally imported.

Implications

The video can be shown in total or the section on each parasite played. The video runs for 20 minutes, the script was written by NSW Agriculture and reviewed and improved by all mainland State Departments of Agriculture, Apiary Sections; Dr. Michael Burgett, University of Oregon, Portland, USA; CSIRO; Honeybee Research and Development Committee and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.

Beekeepers viewing the video will be able to identify the exotic parasites and races of bees and be able to contact the right authorities should they see them in Australia. Quick detection gives a better chance of eradication.

Publications

The video was produced by NSW Agriculture, Media Unit, Orange, wholly funded by the Honeybee Research and Development Committee.

RIRDC Project No: DAN-139A

Researcher: Dr. R Barlow

Organisation: NSW Agriculture, Locked Bag 11, Windsor NSW 2756

Contacts: Phone: (02) 6391 3210   Fax: (02) 6391 3208
 

       Last updated: 26 August 1998 Copyright © RIRDC http://www.rirdc.gov.au/comp98/hb1.htm