R4B's were very excited to receive an invitation to speak to the Mont Albert Probus Club about Rotarians for Bees and the current threat to our bee population due to the incursion of the Varroa destructor mite but also to the pesticides used to control it.
On Friday 8 August, I spoke to a very engaged and well informed audience of almost 100 Probus members at the Box Hill Golf Club. We were fortunate to have with us Kris Fricke, the Senior Varroa Development Officer from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action who provided an update on Varroa infestation, the risks, challenges and steps being taken to protect the Bee Industry. Unfortunately the pesticides, whilst necessary to control varroa in affected hives, when used improperly, pose significant risks to bees as well as other beneficial insects.
We very much appreciated the opportunity to share information on this serious and important subject but for a little levity, concluded the afternoon with a fun quiz to test the audience's knowledge of bees. This was embraced by all, the knowledge was excellent but there could only be one winner of 'The 3 BEES' jar of Pure Raw Yellow Box Honey.
John McCaskill
Kris Fricke