Honey bees pollinate $4.6 billion worth of food crops in Australia.<\/p>\n
If the mite spreads through SA it could wipe out wild honey bees<\/a> and reduce the amount of managed hives available for growers of produce such as almonds and avocados.<\/p>\n PIRSA’s varroa mite program manager Adrian Harvey said it was not feasible to protect wild bees against the pest and warned that 95 per cent in Australia could die.<\/p>\n George Loffler says wild honey bee populations are integral to his production. (ABC News: Will Hunter)<\/p>\n Waikerie-based avocado grower George Loffler said he relied on pollination from “feral European honey bees” to grow his produce and was waiting nervously to see what the impact would be.<\/p>\n It’s been detected here \u2014 it’s only a matter of time,” he said.<\/p>\n “Once we see [varroa mite] get into the wild, or the feral bee population here, I think we’ll see a lot of them disappear.”<\/p>\n What impact will varroa mite have in SA?<\/a><\/p>\n The “world’s worst” honey bee parasite, varroa mite, has been detected in South Australia for the first time. Now in five jurisdictions across Australia, what impact will it have on the agricultural industry?<\/p>\n Mr Loffler said his farm management processes may need to change if the worst were to happen.<\/p>\n “We are chasing a whole range of things to help us with pollination, from flies to ants to hoverflies,” he said.<\/p>\n “If we lose the entire feral bee population you probably won’t be growing peaches and nectarines and apricots in your backyard either.<\/p>\n “It’s going to have impacts on the horticultural sector and beekeepers, and it’s going to increase everybody’s costs.”<\/p>\n Premier Peter Malinauskas said the reports were disappointing, but it was “too early to say” whether financial support would be provided.<\/p>\n “PIRSA is alive to this challenge and it’s something we’ve been preparing for and working with producers around as a potential risk,” he said.<\/p>\n Hives infected with varroa mite can be treated instead of destroyed. (Supplied: Alex Wild, UT Austin)<\/p>\n ‘Kind of expecting it’<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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