Varroa Situation Update and AGM

AGM 2022 MEETING: APICULTURE NZ - CANTERBURY HUB

DATE:                   Tuesday the 24^th of May 2022

VENUE:                The Lakeside Soldier’s Memorial Hall, Lakeside, Leeston

TIME:                   4.30 pm with socializing – BYO –tea and coffee provided

AGM:                   5.30 pm AGM – See attached agenda. Please note - there are a few committee members retiring so we are on the lookout for replacements…  please give this some serious consideration

FOOD:                  6.15 pm Nibbles and platters provided by the Canterbury Hub

PRESENTER:       7.00 pm Prof. Phil Lester is based in the School of Biological Sciences of Victoria University of Wellington. His research focus in on the population dynamics and ecology of social insect.

TOPIC:                 Bee, varroa and virus interactions: their importance for hive health.

The arrival of varroa has brought an entire community of new viruses to honey bee hives in New Zealand. By far the most abundant of these is the Deformed wing virus, but we’ve nine other viruses to be common in these mites. The bees in your average hive will typically host many different viruses. Most of these viruses are present only as ‘covert’ infections, because you’d never know these viruses were present without molecular tools. In this talk I’ll discuss how viruses may

become ‘overt’ and problematic. What are the problematic viruses in NZ and overseas? I’ll also talk about new approaches to virus and varroa control.

HIVE REPORTS:  7.30pm Panel Discussion with Hive Reports - Hear how local beehives have done over the 21/22 season with a special emphasis on all things VARROA with updates from commercial and hobbyist beekeepers!

FINISH:                8.30 pm

Register now at apinzcanterbury.org.nz