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SPRING N EWSLETTER 2 0 1 8 Quarterly Issue: 81 ,Contents Page Editor: Linda Filsell Contents Photos in banner: Google images Tribute to Robert 2 - 3 Stevenson Varroa Incursion 4 - 5 Congratulations! To Bob McDonald OAM and EiIeen Field Day Bus Trip 6 - 7 McDonald who were presented with the Australian Honey Bee Spring Management 8 Industries council ‘Award of Excellence’ by AHBIC Chair Solstice Lunch 9 Lindsay Bourke. Varroa Resistant Bees? 10 East Gippsland Group 11 Vic Beekeepers 12 Conference VAA Conference 13-15 Capilano Honey 15 Mentors List 16 Classifieds 17 Upcoming Events 18 Committee Contacts 19 Membership Form 20 Page 2 of 20 Gippsland Apiarist Association Newsletter Robert Lewis 'Bob' Stevenson 4th March 1938 - 19th June 2018 - By Bill Ringin Born in Drouin on 4th March 1938, Bob was the second of three children. His early life and education was at the Drouin Primary School and he was active in the local Scout group. On leaving school, Bob began a bricklaying apprenticeship, worked at the Drouin Butter Factory, milked cows and delivered laundry across Gippsland. He also loved cars and had a couple of Austin 7's he tinkered with. Bob and Val met at a local dance in the early 1950's and the relationship blossomed. After their marriage, the family grew, with the arrival of son Tony, and then Bruce. In 1963 they moved to Bairnsdale where Bob worked at Murray Goulburn Milk Factory. After about 10 years, Bob and a mate decided to go fencing, following the Telecom crews and then with domestic and Housing Commission fencing work. This continued until 1999 when bob suffered a broken leg. After recovering, Bob was employed by the Aboriginal Co-Op, training their crew. Known as 'Uncle Bob', he was a good teacher and very popular with his koori mates. He was awarded an 'Indigenous Community Justice Award' and finally retired in 2005. From childhood, Bob had a love of the bush and this, along with an interest in beekeeping, has stayed with him always. Starting under the guidance of Alf Smith and then Jimmy Gell, Bob became an experienced and successful apiarist. Owning and managing bees increased his knowledge of the forest and climate, as well as the skills of making hive equipment, honey extracting gear and mechanical hive loaders. Bruce and Tony would often go to help their dad shift or extract hives – their reward was an hourly rate plus $1 per sting – they made more out of the stings. Bob often gave the boys a fair bit of scope, away from home, on condition they didn't tell their mum. Some years ago he said “if I die, your mother only thinks I've got 20 hives” -he most likely had close to 200. Bob's community involvements were demonstrated by his work in Apex, with the Lucknow Football Club, Netball Club Courts, Lindenow South Cricket Club, Masonic Lodge, Work For The Dole projects and Community Flood Restoration works. He was always generous with his time and knowledge, as a worker, mentor or advisor. Bob ran well attended courses for newer beekeepers at the Sale TAFE for several years. A number of current GAA members completed the course and are beekeepers today. GAA Website: www.gippslandbees.org.au Page 3 of 20 Gippsland Apiarist Association Newsletter He was pivotal, with wife Val, in arranging and running the annual weekend bus trip to the Bendigo Beekeeping Field Days. Bus Trip organised by Stevo. Photo: Linda Filsell Along with Mick Camilleri, Terry O'Kane, Lorna and Peter Clarkson, Bob compiled the Victoria's first 'Regional Forests Agreement'. This was to provide a plan for sustainable management and conservation of East Gippsland native forests. This R.F.A. was adopted by the Victorian State Government. In recognition of his commitment to, and support of the association, Bob was made a Life Member of the Gippsland Apiarists Association over 10 years ago. Val and Bob bought an acre block, overlooking Eagle Point, on the Great Alpine Road just out of Bairnsdale, in 1988, and built their new home. Here they could host visitors, particularly their 5 grandchildren, in comfort and with ample space. It also provided sheds for tinkering, extracting and storing Bob's gear. Following retirement, Bob and Val enjoyed a number of trips around Australia, viewing places they had only read about. Bob Stevenson volunteering at The In more recent times, Bob's health declined, and he Royal Melbourne Show. has had the opportunity to relax, enjoy the comfort and views, and reap the rewards of his firewood collecting trips. Bob died peacefully on 19th June 2018. Our condolences to his wife Val and family. GAA Website: www.gippslandbees.org.au Page 4 of 20 Gippsland Apiarist Association Newsletter Varroa Detection – Port of Melbourne Overview and Photos : By Bill Ringin On Saturday 23rd June 2018 a ship from Texas, carrying a consignment of 4 large wooden crates arrived at the Port of Melbourne (PoM). At the base of one of the crates, a number of dead bees were observed and collected. On 27th June the crate with the bees was opened, and the bees, queen and combs were collected (in total around 5,000 bees were collected) and sent to the Department of Agriculture Water Resources (DAWR) entomologists for analysis. Weather over the preceding days had been cold and not conducive to bee flight, and the bees were observed to be barely moving. Agriculture Victoria were notified that the bees were mellifera and 2 mites had been detected and the analysis is continuing. The remaining 3 crates are sealed and remain unopened, and DWAR have issued a 'Hold Order' on them, and have control over their treatment. Australia is the only beekeeping country in the world not to have this pest, and it would be a major blow, not only to the beekeeping industry, but to all pollination dependant horticulture across Australia. On 6th or 7th July it was confirmed the mites detected were varroa destructor. Incident Response Agriculture Victoria responded, setting up an Incident Action Plan to manage the Varroa Detection, and a call centre at Attwood on 30th June, to respond to calls from the public. They have consulted the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC), industry stakeholders, the public, and Ben: Biosecurity Officer Kate: Animal Health Officer other agencies to prevent any spread Centre: Bill Ringin State Quarantine Response Team from the known location and eradicate all detections. This detection response is the first time Agriculture Victoria will use the State Quarantine Response Team (SQRT) members in an active detection. It is a joint initiative between the Department and the Victorian Apiarists Association, of specially trained beekeepers set up to respond to this type of event. Focus will initially be within a 2km radius of PoM by teams made up of departmental staff and apiary specialists from the SQRT who will visit registered beekeepers at agreed times to inspect and test colonies. Cont’d next page GAA Website: www.gippslandbees.org.au Page 5 of 20 Gippsland Apiarist Association Newsletter Cont’d from previous page There are 6 sentinel hives in or near the PoM and 11 registered beekeepers with a total of 21 hives within the 2km radius. There are no sugar shake participants in proximity of the PoM. Sweep netting was carried out in some areas, and enquiries regarding any other hives, registered or not, were made, along with surveillance to locate any feral hives. A briefing at the Attwood Control Centre, prior to commencing the daily activities, is held for all staff in the morning, as well as a debrief on the day’s events, at the end of the shift. Regular contact is maintained with the Control Centre during the day. Alan Smith and Bill Bill Ringin Ringin installing a sticky inspecting hives mat in the base of hive The field teams will arrive at an apiary and, using equipment which is sterile, and appropriate protective gear, inspect the colonies and conduct sugar shake tests for varroa mites as well as taking a sample of bees for further testing. The hives will also have a sticky mat and miticide strips installed – these are removed at an agreed time a day or so later. Departmental staff identified and recorded all items including hives, samples, sticky mats. These were labelled and any unusual things documented to allow later tracing if required. Prior to departure, all items being removed from site were disinfected or placed in sealed containers. From my perspective, and the other SQRT members I was able to speak with, the work was a satisfying and I thought a positive experience. The detection was a thorough, professionally run and well resourced operation, and department personnel were friendly, helpful and a pleasure to work with. We were well looked after and any comments or thoughts we gave regarding the day’s activities, were taken on board, and if possible, implemented. Are we a step closer to Varroa Resistant bees in Australia. See article page 10 GAA Website: www.gippslandbees.org.au Page 6 of 20 Gippsland Apiarist Association Newsletter GAA - Field Trip – Forest Management Issues - held on Tuesday 17th July By Neil Barraclough The GAA and DELWP had a very informative and successful field trip looking at forest management issues in the East Gippsland forests and it was a shared learning experience between the two groups. Timber harvesting coups, fuel reduction burns, regeneration/regrowth were observed. Land managers accompanied the bus and were able to respond to questions. Local beekeepers have been raising issues of concern since the formation of the GAA over 50 years ago and we saw some hope for the future after the excursion.