Hives lost in East Coast fire

This week’s fire at Dianas Basin on the East Coast has claimed 40 of beekeeper Lindsay Bourke’s hives containing drone mothers from his best performing queen bees.

Up to $40,000 worth of ironbark gum honey has also been destroyed and the loss of bees means there will be a dent in pollination services and income.

Another 164 hives on the east coast were evacuated as a precaution.

The drone mothers have been feeding on the Spanish heath, boobyallas and ironbark gums that are prolific in the area as well as an abundance of wildflowers.

Once old enough, and after mating with the drones that are put in the brood nests, the hives, plus another 120 hives from other areas, were destined for Adam Hills’ carrot crop at Cranbrook.

Hives from three other locations have been shuffled around to make up the shortfall.

For the past 50 years Mr Bourke has been picking out the drone mothers bred from his best performing queens to improve the genetic linage.

By taking them to the east coast the warmer weather gives him a one-month head start on pollination services for farmers, who have been known to more than double the production of seed crops by bringing in more bees.

“I’m just devastated,” Mr Bourke said.

“The drone mothers are collected in July and I took the virgins down to the drones in October - and really myself and my team are like anxious parents waiting to see how they go with breeding season – this year the weather has had us all worried and now this has happened.

“It doesn’t sound a lot to lose 40 hives out of 3000, but they were good ones, it’s all about breeding good genetics and breeding from the best. It’s a lot of work to lose.

Mr Bourke said he’s been working from 2.30am for the past four mornings shifting bees, including 270 hives finishing up pollination at a Rhiana blueberry farm. 

“Luckily nature has a way of recovering quickly and we don’t anticipate any long-term effects from the fires on pollination.”

The fire between Stieglitz and Dianas Basin has burnt more than 1300 hectares of land, destroyed two houses, cut power to the area and forced residents to evacuate.