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Varroa Destructor Mite - threatening our Australian Beehives

Posted by Lilly Choi-Lee on

Threat to the Australian bee and honey industry.

Varroa Destructor.  The name itself sends shivers up one's spine & you would be correct in imagining a monstrous sci-fi creature rearing up to devour earthlings and any living creature on our planet.

This imagery is perhaps not so far-fetched as this mite does endanger a crucial link in our ecosystem of life - the European honey bee.  And we all know that bees, already globally threatened, are essential pollinators and therefore part of our food source and crop production.  

We spoke with Michael Howes, our partner artisan from Australia's Manuka Honey at Tyagarah Apiaries, as to the impact on his bees and hives.  Fortunately, Michael's team of beekeepers are super vigilant and the hives are untouched at this stage.

We would like to share some insights with our tribe of followers to better understand why this tiny mite is such a massive deal.

What is it?

(Image from The Australasian Beekeeper magazine instagram @theabkmag)

The size of a sesame seed, about 1.5mm, the reddish-brown Varroa Destructor Mite (hereon will refer to simply as the varroa mite) live off the heamo-lymph and fatty tissue of the European bees, usually in a place between the abdomen and thorax junction area, weakening them so they cannot do their work.  Even worse, they invade the heart of the beehive to feed and reproduce on larvae & pupae in the developing brood, not just debilitating them, but causing malformations as well.  

If you imagine a giant tick, the size of your fist, sucking out your bodily fluids, that's what's happening to the poor bees!

The infectious bees transfer to others very quickly and if left untreated, the pest will kill any beehive it infests - including all feral and untreated bee colonies.  The drone bees are the key carriers as they move from hive to hive and even between apiaries.

When did it last enter Australia?

Australia is the last bastion to resist the Varroa mite as we have such diligent and strict quarantine requirements in place at our ports to protect the Australian honey bee industry. 

Michael says, "The potential financial cost to Australia is estimated to be $70 million per year, if the mite becomes established.  About one third of Australia's food production relies on bee pollination (almonds, avocados, apples, and more)." 

The Varroa Destructor mite was detected in surveillance hives in Newcastle Port at the end of June 2022.  According to ABC news, it has now spread about 400 kms from the port to around 40 properties across New South Wales.  

What can you do?

"The sadness in euthanising bees as a result of the Varroa mite landing at the Newcastle Port a couple of weeks ago, is overwhelming.  From fires to floods, to this deadly parasite - our thoughts are with other beekeepers as we face yet another trying time". 

If you are an unregistered beekeeper, register online the NSW government website  to let them know where existing hives are, enabling ease of contact should others around your zone be infected.

As the Varroa mite does not harm the native bee, you need not worry they will be infected - however, your vigilance in detecting them and advising authorities will prevent the destruction of the vulnerable European beehives!  

If you do detect any suspicious mites, contact the department via email:

hive.location@emergency.dpi.nsw.gov.au or call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline 1800 084 881.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading this & please spread the word.

 

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NNRA Travel Care Packs

Posted by Lilly Choi-Lee on

Naturally Northern Rivers Australia helps you travel with confidence - the must-have Natural Travel Care Pack - mini eco-warriors for your skin, tummy & good health, perfect as your go-to travel care pack to cover any small emergencies!  Naturally protecting you from stress of mind & body with a combination of luxurious provenance ingredients, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal properties – organically grown, locally sourced from the Northern Rivers NSW & hand-crafted for your health & well-being when travelling.
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Natural Treatment for Skin Breakouts

Posted by Lilly Choi-Lee on

An acne treatment and pimple buster - powerful yet gentle on the skin - Australia's Manuka Honey bees have made this anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory honey just for you!
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World Bee Day 2021

Posted by Lilly Choi-Lee on

World Bee Day is to celebrate & raise importance of these mini-giants & mighty pollinators of Mother Nature!

Globally there are over 20,000 species of bees, with 2000 here in Australia...  We all know bees are important - but just how important?

In Australia, most of the food we eat, or the food we feed our farm animals have been touched by the busy bee pollinating at some stage.  However pests and diseases along with our modern living, farming practices and other reasons, are all threatening the bees' natural habitat.  

Certain plants can only be pollinated by their specialist bee, but should this species of bee decline, these plants will also decline in numbers and our biodiversity will be impacted.

This biodiversity is vitally linked to the greater ecosystem to regulate our climate, ensure our water and air is clean and essential to recycle nutrients in our soil.  

Small but mighty - that seems to be the catch cry of our eco-warriors from bees to macadamia nuts and tea tree oil.   

May 20 has been allocated as World Bee Day & you can do your bit by joining an event in your area at an apiary, check out https://www.worldbeeday.org.au/ where you can register to join the Global Waggle Dance...  check it out!  Regardless, thanks for reading, and if you are not already, bee- more aware of the importance of bees!

 

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Provenance of Good Health

Posted by Lilly Choi-Lee on

Our Natural Heroes… A Quick Insight to Bees

Vital to our ecosystem, bees are nature’s CPA (Chief Pollination Army)!  Bees help our plants to grow, to breed & to produce food – by transferring pollen between flowering plants and thereby sustaining our cycle of life.

And bees produce honey which we humans (along with bears, badgers and other animals) have adored since our ancestors were still residing in caves.  Honey gatherers featured on rock wall carvings, go as far back as 8000 B.C. and pottery sealed with beeswax has been found, dating back to 7000 B.C.

Honey was mankind’s principal source of food sweetener (especially in Greece and Sicily) until sugar was more extensively available in the sixteenth century.  Ancient Egyptians appeased their gods with offerings of honey and along with the Romans, Greeks and Chinese, used honey as medicine – treating wounds, fevers and stomach ailments.   

The high sugar content and low pH in natural honey inhibits microbial growth – making it perfect for medicinal use.  However, this activity will vary depending upon the type of flower that nectar is collected from – and heating can also destroy the antimicrobial activity of many honeys.

 Is there a difference between processed honey & raw honey?

Absolutely!  Much of the mass-produced honey bought commercially has been pasteurized using high heat to kill yeast, improve colour and remove crystallization – thereby making it more attractive in texture, and more attractive to the eye. 

However, the beneficial nutrients are sacrificed and destroyed in the pasteurization process.

Raw or cold-extracted honey

Raw or cold-extracted honey is not heated.  So, the living power of nature is unspoiled for your enjoyment & your good health.  Provenance is preserved.

 

How do Bees produce honey & why?

The short version

Manuka Honey ManBees collect pollen (their source of protein) and the sugar-rich nectar from flowers – almost as much as its own body weight – and carry it back to the beehive. Here the nectar is passed from bee to bee to be naturally broken down by digestive enzymes until the nectar converts to honey.  As well as being food for the honeybee larvae, honey is also stored in the honeycomb.  It remains fresh indefinitely as it is naturally sealed with beeswax and saved as the vital food source for the bees throughout winter.

 Ethical beekeepers will always ensure there is enough honey for their bees as their food reserve in times when pollen and nectar are scarce or non-existent.

 Where is the Queen Bee?

Can you spot Her Royal Highness in the image below? 

Queen Bee Manuka Honey Mother

What about the Queen Bee?  Does she eat honey?

No, she doesn’t!  Our reigning Queen Bee and her chosen future Queen larvae only dine on Royal Jelly, a white secretion produced by young, female worker bees. Royal jelly is the ultimate superfood packed full of all the dietary requirements, fertility stimulants and vitamins worthy of any Queen.

 Are all honeys the same?

No.  Just as we humans are all different, honey differs in colour, texture, taste & aroma depending upon the flower that bees visit to collect nectar & pollen.  As mentioned earlier, its antimicrobial potency also depends on the type of flower from which nectar is collected.

In the Northern Rivers of NSW, we have a wealth of native Australian flora for our bees – the most powerful source of native flowers growing in abundance being the leptospermum species – manuka.

 

Is Manuka Honey only found in New Zealand?

No.  The original home of the Leptospermum (Manuka) species is actually Australia.

While there is only one species in New Zealand, there are over 80 confirmed as native to Australia – 28 been scientifically proven “bioactive”.  It is thought that New Zealand’s only species originally travelled there from southern Australia, after the separation of the ancient continent Gondwana. 

The Leptospermum species has evolved over millions of years to survive the harsh Australian landscape & is extremely tolerant to drought & fire.  Some of the honey from Australia’s manuka flowers have been identified as being the most potent in the world.  No wonder it is a Superhero!

 What makes Manuka Honey so special?

Think of manuka honey like Caviar or as Bruce Eihorn of the Sydney Morning Herald called it, the champagne of the honey kingdom.

Taste + power = Kaboom!!! Superhero properties!

Manuka Honey has a rich, delicious taste – and it is definitely no ordinary honey.

Its antibacterial properties set it apart.  Additionally, manuka honey has antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. In fact, it has traditionally been used for wound healing, soothing sore throats, mouth ulcers and improving digestive issues.  It is often described as “active honey”.

What does Active Honey Mean?

The word ‘active’ refers to the honey’s ability to kill or inhibit the growth of many bacteria and fungi. This ‘Activity’ or antimicrobial quality is determined by specific laboratory tests.  Not all Manuka honeys are active. Choose a honey that has been independently & scientifically tested for activity.

 What are the 3 measures of Activity found only in Manuka Honey?

  1. Leptosperin – naturally occurring chemical found only in manuka nectar (& a few very close relatives)
  2. DHA – Dihydroxyacetone –another naturally occurring chemical in the nectar of the manuka flower. DHA then converts to the powerhouse MGO once our busy bees turn the nectar into honey.
  3. MGO – methylgloxal – is nature’s agent responsible for manuka honey’s unique antibacterial properties and is the key indicator of activity strength in Manuka honey.

 The higher the MGO number, the more potent the antibacterial properties & therefore the higher the activity & efficacy of the honey.

 What is the difference between MGO, NPA & ULF in manuka honeys?

difference between MGO, NPA & ULF in manuka honey

What makes Manuka Honey so expensive?

Even the lowest MGO rated Manuka Honey is more expensive than regular natural honey. 

Firstly, of the 80 Australia leptospermum species, only 28 have been scientifically proven “bioactive”.  Secondly, the flower producing nectar only blooms about 3 months of the year.  Thirdly, we do not know the MGO level of the honey until it has been carefully collected, then tested in independent laboratories.  Key chemicals tested are indicators of whether the activity of the honey will continue to improve and strengthen with time, or whether the activity at the time of testing is the maximum it will reach.  The highest strength manuka honey of MGO1500+ is extremely rare, hence its high value as medicinal honey.

Manuka Honey

Wound Care

With the advent of modern antibiotics, “superbugs” have emerged – pathogens that have developed resistance to some or even all of the modern antibiotics.  Manuka honey has been scientifically proven to assist in wound care:

  • Stimulates wound healing
  • Effective against multi drug-resistant bacteria
  • Provides a moist, low-pH healing environment
  • Contains proven antibacterial properties
  • Lifts debris & dirt from the wound
  • Reduces scab formation & scarring
  • Prevents bandage from sticking
  • Reduces wound irritation

In a Nutshell

Honey remains unchanged, as natural & as powerful as when our ancestors first discovered its culinary & health benefits in the Stone Age.  Our bees remain instrumental in the cycle of life & we encourage you to choose carefully the honey to grace your tables, your tummies and tastebuds!

 

Sources for further reading:

https://www.australiasmanuka.com.au/medical-grade-honey-benefits/

https://www.smh.com.au/business/australia-and-new-zealand-battling-over-manuka-the-champagne-of-honeys-20160826-gr1ibe.html

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/manuka-honey-medicinal-uses#1

https://www.manukaaustralia.org.au/science/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12824009/

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