18 July 2000
New Mite eradication method warrants another look
Green Party Agriculture Spokesperson Ian Ewen-Street today said a new and novel technique to eradicate the Varroa Mite
may have been overlooked and warrants further consideration.
Mr Ewen-Street believes the Government should look closely at a cheaper and non-chemical approach to eradication
involving the use of natural attractants and a natural substance which shuts down ovarian function in bees at very low
levels.
Mr Ewen-Street said the system could work by attracting wild bees to a bait station where a food containing the active
substance was placed. The worker bees would then take this substance back to the wild hives and shut down the ability of
the Queen to reproduce.
Mr Ewen-Street said if the system was successful it would allow the eradication of feral hives - without any chemicals -
through sterilising Queen bees and halting reproduction. This would then allow unhindered control and monitoring of the
Varroa Mite in domestic production hives.
He said he was aware of two pieces of New Zealand research into methods similar to this and said the Government had
nothing to lose through taking a look at the new proposal.
Mr Ewen-Street said he had been approached by scientist Dr John Clearwater, who was part of the recent successful White
Tussock Moth eradication programme and who has researched the technique for a number of years, with the proposal.
Dr Clearwater said the technique had a good chance of succeeding and that he has the support of many in the bee
industry. A number of people from the White Tussock Moth programme have also indicated they would be prepared to be
involved.
Both Mr Ewen-Street and Dr Clearwater agree that the downside of doing nothing will have a massive impact on New
Zealand's bee keeping industry and the other flow-on industries such as farming and orcharding.
"It is not too late to look at another option," said Mr Ewen-Street. "I hope the Government will take a serious look at
Dr Clearwater's proposal as both the Government and our beekeepers have nothing at all to lose."
Mr Ewen-Street has sent a letter and a copy of Dr Clearwater's proposal to relevant Government ministers.
ends
Ian Ewen-Street MP: 025 902 527, 04 470 6726 Dr John Clearwater: 025 224 8955, 09 828 3339 Jonathan Hill (press
secretary): 021 110 1133