I remember how big this was for a while - only for this bit of news to be buried with a short article. Surely the scale of infestation (resulting in the change in approach) is going to have significant impacts to pollinator-dependent agriculture?
I remember how big this was for a while - only for this bit of news to be buried with a short article. Surely the scale of infestation (resulting in the change in approach) is going to have significant impacts to pollinator-dependent agriculture?
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Beekeepers will have to learn to live with the deadly varroa mite following a national decision to shift from eradication to a management approach.
Despite a $100m effort to eradicate the pest over the past 14 months, scientific data and advice suggested the strategy was no longer possible.
The National Management Group, which manages the spread of varroa mite across Australia, made a unanimous decision on Tuesday to transition its approach to addressing the biosecurity issue confronting beekeepers and the pollination industry.
Non-compliance by some beekeepers, a recent spike in new detections and over a wider area made eradication a non-viable option, the group said.
The varroa mite mainly feeds and reproduces on larvae and pupae, causing malformation and weakening of honey bees and transmitting numerous viruses.
There have been more than 260 outbreaks identified in the Newcastle region, on the NSW north coast near Coffs Harbour and near the Victorian border since the parasite was first detected.
The original article contains 191 words, the summary contains 158 words. Saved 17%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!