FEW BEES IN CHATHAMS

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28257, 20 April 1957, Page 9

FEW BEES IN CHATHAMS

Major Problem In Islands

apiarist reviews POSITION

A lack of bees to spread polle is a major problem on the Chai ham Islands.

I n response to a request by the Chatham Islands branch of Federated Farmers, Mr I. W. Forster, apiary instructor of the Department of Agriculture at Oamaru. recently visited the islands to see what could be done to improve the position.

Mr Forster found that generally bee colonies on the islands die out after a year or two, and despite frequent importations of hives of bees from New Zealand, no progress has been made in building FE. a re ally worth-while bee population. Of a dozen colonies on the islands at present, only about eight will survive into next season. Most parts of the Chathams were capable of providing ample nectar and pollen to support colonies of bees, Mr Forster considered. The combs of colonies that had died had ample supplies of stored honey and pollen. Apparently when queens got into their second season, though a good egg laying rate was maintained, very little brood reached the emerging stage, eggs either failing to hatch or dying in the lava stage. Consequently the bee strength dwindled. High humidity was probably the main adverse factor.

White Clover First Though many plants of economic importance would obviously benefit from the activities of honey bees, the propagation of white clover was the first consideration, Mr Forster said. White clover that had been sown appeared to thrive, but in most places set no seed. This meant that there was no replacement or spread of plants. The quality of the pastures was reduced and they were further affected by being deprived of the nitrogen with which legumes such as clover continually enriched the soil. The improvement in the seed set of clover receiving even a meagre bee coverage from odd hives of bees was striking in comparison, and the ardent desire of most of the Chatham Island farmers to increase the bee population was easily understandable. If the effect of moisture was reduced and if hives were requeened every season with young queens from New Zealand, there would appear to be no reason why colonies of bees should not be kept on the Chathams and even produce worth-while crops of honey, Mr Forster said. The performance of hives taken to the islands from New Zealand last December had been excellent, he said.