A Kiama apiarist is stepping up her fight against Varroa mites which are threatening the future of Australia’s honey bee industry.

A bee keeper, and the south coast’s only queen bee breeder, Laura Patmore is using artificial insemination to breed drone bees than can detect and kill the Varroa destructor  mites in the hive.

Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips recently met with Laura to learn more about her efforts to save the bees and said her innovative techniques were “inspirational”.

“I love honey and, like many people, I know how important our busy bees are for pollinating and ensuring a successful food system,” Mrs Phillips said.

“Laura is so passionate about helping other bee keepers on the south coast, and across the country, reduce the spread of this pest.”

Laura selectively breeds queen bees using the semen of drones that carry a gene which enables them to detect and kill the Varroa mite larvae by opening infested cells within the hive.

“This is a highly specialised process requiring specialised equipment in a secure lab and ongoing training,” Mrs Phillips said.

Where present, Varroa mite significantly adversely impacts honey production, and chemical treatment of hives is necessary. However, there is new hope in selective genetic breeding to naturally strengthen resistance of bees to Varroa mite.

This process can assist bee keepers from our region, and further afield, with queen bees that are bred to local conditions and resistant to Varroa mite.

“This is an emerging field and one that we are lucky to have Laura taking on to support our bee keepers, crop pollination, and food security,” Mrs Phillips said.

“Bees do much more than produce honey and their importance to our daily lives cannot be overstated. 

“Make no mistake, this project is about supporting the future of bee keeping locally and across the country.

“Healthier, mite-resistant bees secure pollination for the food we rely on, support crop production and maintain our agricultural stability and biodiversity.

“There are only a very small handful of bee breeders in Australia who are working with instrumental insemination, and Laura will be one of them from this season.

“This is huge news, of the utmost importance, and something that we can be incredibly proud of, that Laura is actively championing from Kiama.”

Laura is keen to talk to local service clubs and organisations about her work, the Varroa mite and the honey been industry. If you would like to find out more contact the office of Fiona Phillips on 4423 1782.

Photo: Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips talks to Kiama apiarist Laura Patmore about her specialised queen bee breeding program.

Media Contact: Katrina Condie 0437 662 967

Background:

• Australia remained varroa until the mite arrived in New South Wales in June 2022.
• Should Varroa destructor become established nationwide, it’s estimated that 30 per cent of commercial beekeepers would exit the industry. And that has extraordinary knock-on effects for the country’s entire agriculture sector.
• The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council and Plant Health Australia have worked to establish a National Bee Biosecurity Program that will help the Australian government improve the management of established pests and diseases and increase our preparedness and surveillance against the threat of exotic pests.
• The honey bee industry contributes more than $14 billion to Australia’s economy each year.
• Australia exports honey to the United States, China, Japan, Singapore, Canada, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and the United Kingdom.
• Australia has around 2,000 commercial beekeepers and more than 29,000 recreational beekeepers who care for more than 800,000 hives.
• The European Honey Bee produces around 37,000 tonnes of honey in Australia each year.
• Honey bees pollinate two thirds of the horticultural crops produced in Australia.
• The Honey Bee Industry Council says 140 bees are needed to produce one kilogram of macadamias, 69 bees help produce each kilogram of almonds and five bees are needed for every kilogram of pumpkin.