New Honey Bee Research Centre

A new Honey Bee Research and Development Centre has been established at Southern Cross University (SCU) in Lismore (NSW) spurred on by the need to tackle the destructive varroa mite’s arrival in Australia.

The centre will have a focus on varroa mite Integrated Pest Management research and a queen bee breeding program for varroa resistance. The centre will also address the urgent skills shortages in Australia’s honey bee and pollination industry and hopes to play a pivotal role in increasing their productivity and research capacity. There will be a state-of-the-art community-engaged research apiary and an Apiculture Club, along with regular beekeeping courses, field days, seminars and workshops. For those outside the northern NSW region, a national extension website will be established with educational materials, newsletters, videos and a podcast.

The centre plans to lead national and international research grants and help form an industry stakeholder advisory group. Its director is Dr Cooper Schouten, featured last issue of Organic Gardener for his work on sustainable livelihoods in the Pacific. Dr Schouten was a dual recipient of the Young Alumnus of the Year for SCU.

Researchers estimate that varroa mites will result in a 50-60 per cent reduction in registered hobbyist and part-time commercial businesses across the country, valued at $173 million in the Australian economy, meaning work on controlling the mites is of crucial importance.