COMMUNITY NEWS · ATHERTON TABLELANDS
Tablelands Beekeepers Hit by Major Hive Thefts
Published · Cenlocal summary
Police are investigating reported thefts of bees and brood from 41 commercial hives at Kairi and Mutchilba, ABC News reports.
ABC News reports that police are investigating the theft of bees from commercial hives on the Atherton Tablelands. According to the report, bee frames and brood were taken from 41 commercial hives across two properties.
What was reported
The ABC reports that 14 hives were found empty at a property in Kairi on 10 September, and a further 27 hives were found empty at a Mutchilba property over the following two days. The beekeepers involved told the ABC that each hive held about 15,000 bees — close to half a million bees in total — and that the queens were taken along with the rest of each colony.
The Mareeba Rural and Stock Crime Squad told the ABC it believed the person or people responsible were experienced with bees, and that the thefts may be linked to a commercial operation rather than a hobbyist. Police have urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Why it matters for local agriculture
Commercial hives are often placed on farms to pollinate crops. The ABC reports the beekeepers estimated the loss of up to $10,000 in pollination income, with further impact expected on their upcoming honey season. Police also noted that losses like this can have a knock-on effect for horticulture growers who rely on pollination for crop and fruit yields.
The beekeepers told the ABC the thefts came shortly after varroa mite was detected in Far North Queensland, adding pressure on local operators.
Read the full report from ABC News using the source link below.
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Sources & Further Reading
This is an original Cenlocal summary. Cenlocal is not the original reporter; facts are attributed to the sources below.
