Summary

The principle reason behind an Australian bee health and management website is to provide all sectors of the honey bee industry with an authoritative source of educational material relating to the management of established pests and diseases of honey bees, as well as exotic pests such as Varroa. This is to ensure that this is the national ‘go to’ website for beekeepers and growers of pollination reliant crops. Access to a reliable resource on biosecurity information relating to these pests will ensure beekeepers and stakeholders are prepared and have the knowledge and tools required to reduce the negative impacts of established pests and diseases, and are also aware of exotic pests such as Varroa.
As the last major honey producing country in the world not to have Varroa (the worlds worst honey bee pest), Australia has the opportunity to be more prepared than any other country to deal with and cope with the potential arrival of Varroa. The development of an authoritative website with information about key exotic pests allows the honey bee industry and pollinator reliant plant industries to be on the front foot in preparing for these pests.
This website will be extremely focused on its content and accessibility and would collate quality Australian, and worldwide information on all aspects that are relevant to beekeepers, the honey bee industry, plant industries and growers of pollinator reliant crops. Additionally, this website will house a restricted Google search engine by cataloguing the leading world websites, as well a series of instructional videos of Varroa treatments and management practices that Australian beekeepers could adopt.

Program

Honey Bee

Research Organisation

Plant Health Australia Limited

Objective Summary

The website will be an authoritative source of information for the Australian honey bee and crop industries on established pests and diseases, exotic pests such as Varroa, biosecurity best management practices and crop pollination information and management. The following will be the major features of the site:
– Compile and link to the best sources of information from Australia and internationally on the management of current established pests and diseases in Australia
– Compile and link to the best sources of information from Australia and internationally on exotic pests such as Varroa
-Compile and link to the best sources of information from Australia and internationally on beekeeping and biosecurity best management practices, and crop pollination information and management
-Updates and international developments relating to Varroa research and management
-Work with Plant and Food Research in New Zealand and/or Australian DPI’s to obtain or produce instructional films on Varroa management techniques that will be hosted on the website.
-Develop a restricted Google search engine that will be hosted on the website, to direct searchers to the best sources of information about established pests and diseases, exotic pests such as Varroa, beekeeping and crop pollination management on the internet.