Bee sites stung by natural disasters
Bee sites stung by natural disasters
19 March 2014
published by www.sunraysiadaily.com.au
Australia — DROUGHT and bushfires are stinging apiarists as they look to build up their bee colonies for next springs mass-pollination of almond orchards in the Murray Valley, Gol Gol apiarist Trevor Monson said yesterday.
Mr Monson, who co-ordinates the spring pollination campaign for the Victorian almond industry, said the long dry spell, and the destruction of about 95 per cent of the Grampians eucalypt forests by fire since 2006, were already pushing up honey prices towards record levels.
The eucalypts and many other native plants from the Grampians are prolific nectar producers, that until the huge wildfire in 2006 supported large populations of nectar-feeding lorikeets and parrots.
