Australia Gives Up Fight against Parasite
14:29 JST, October 19, 2023
SYDNEY (AFP-Jiji) — Australia abandoned its fight to eradicate the destructive Varroa mite, an invasive parasite responsible for the collapse of honeybee populations across the planet last month.
Desperate to keep Varroa out of the country, authorities have destroyed more than 14,000 infected beehives since the tiny red-brown pest was first detected north of Sydney in June 2022.
The government last month conceded its U.S. $64 million eradication plan could not stop the mite from spreading, saying the country’s beekeepers should now prepare to live with the incursion.
“The recent spike in new detections have made it clear that the Varroa mite infestation is more widespread and has also been present for longer than first thought,” officials said in a statement.
"Science & Nature" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Project to Mass Produce Japanese Glass Eels Succeeds in Reducing Costs; Pilot Scheme Brings Down Costs to ¥1,800 Per Fish
-
Namibia Fossil is ‘Swamp Thing’ with Menacing Fangs
-
Drones, Smartphones to Be Used to Assess Flood Damage; Cabinet Office Approves Tech to Speed up Disaster Certificate Issuance
-
3rd H3 Rocket Launched Successfully; Daichi-4 Satellite Shot into Orbit (UPDATE 2)
-
Japan to Promote Development of New Research Reactors to Achieve Decarbonization; Ministry Eyes Nuclear Power as ‘Leading Option’
JN ACCESS RANKING