Beekeepers on Tamborine Mountain are sounding the alarm, warning local fruit and vegetable growers that crops requiring pollination are likely to be scarce as Varroa mites wipe out bee populations.
Recreational hobbyist beekeeper Mark Bradley said he believed 99 per cent of feral hives on the mountain were gone, including a large, once healthy feral hive across from his house.
“Of the hobbyists who have managed to hold on I’d say they’re a shadow of what they were,” he stated.
“As for the commercial operators, many are bust or down to half.”
He said it’s the loss of the feral hives which covered the mountain that was going to have a real impact on food production.
He recommended growers contact a commercial beekeeper to put hives on their property or switch crops to plants that don’t require pollination.
“Those that get pollination will likely be able to charge more at The Green Shed and other outlets on produce they have,” he said.
“Zucchini will be scarce and later pumpkins too. Fruit tree crops will see problems in supply at harvest by next autumn/winter.
“To be honest for the few with hives still holding on, well, we’re not out of the woods on this. The mites are still here and building up as the brood does as the days lengthen.”
Matthew Brown, honey producer and owner of Farming on 15 Degrees, said he has lost about 30 per cent of his hives to varroa mites.
“It all happened about six weeks ago when a lot of mites came through. It took out a lot of wild colonies,” he said.
“It’s been the hardest four months of my life. I thought I was going to lose everything.
“There are no bees in trees anymore they are all dead and none in clover. I used to see 40 bees in clover this time of year mowing. Last week I saw no bees.”
He has considered not putting his boxes out here because of the high level of mites on Tamborine Mountain but said the people who had them were very attached to them and keen to keep them in their gardens.
Mr Brown said the hives are unable to keep themselves healthy anymore and need human intervention.
He has chosen not to use synthetic chemicals, which are relatively cheap, but a Varroa controller from Austria which cost $21,000 for two.
“It’s time consuming but gives a much safer honey product,” he explained.
His fear is that some of the large commercial beekeepers with thousands of hives that take them to almond growers in Victoria will bring them back laden with mites.
He also warned that while he has not increased his prices there would be 30 per cent less harvest this year and honey prices in general would go up.
