(NZ) Healthy honey bees on campus: the challenges for sustaining pollinators

Wellington

Duration: 1 hour
Time: 12:30–1:30pm NZST
Institution: Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington
Location: Alan MacDiarmid, AM103, Kelburn Campus

Bees are an essential part of the environment because they pollinate plants (including our food crops) when foraging for nectar and pollen. One of the biggest issues facing honey bees worldwide and in New Zealand is the parasitic Varroa mite. Professor Phil Lester from the School of Biological Sciences together with a team of PhD students are researching ways to defend the world’s bee populations from Varroa with the help of hives installed at the Kelburn campus. Professor Lester will talk about their work in the fight against Varroa and other challenges for honey bees in New Zealand, the benefits of bees in society today, and what you can do to help.