Bob Davey SaveYourLeatherwoodHoney, Press Release
Forestry Tasmania is at it again!
AFTER the futuretasmania conference last weekend, and in response to the beekeepers’ submission on the destruction of the leatherwood resource Mr Graham Sargison of Forestry Tasmania claimed on ABC TV, that the beekeepers had no need to rely on the leatherwood resource as all they had to do was to feed their bees on sugar syrup substitute.
All parties, including Mr Sarsison, know full well that the experience and research into feeding sugar or any other substitute to bees shows, that it does nothing more than just keep them alive.
This is the process used by quarantine authorities, to keep bees alive when theyare held in quarantine.
Mr Bruce White, an experienced quarantine officer in NSW, and who is also a beekeeper, was consulted some years ago, and stated that without question, feeding bees a sugar or other substitute, cannot maintain bee colonies strong enough to be of any use for pollination.
This issue has been well researched and tested and is accepted both in the beekeeping industry and outside.
We ask Mr Sargison to substantiate his claim by revealing the source of the information on which his claim is based, or withdraw the claim.
The beekeepers have not now, nor have they at any time, seen any evidence as to the adequacy of feeding bees a sugar or other substitute to maintain hive strength. Furthermore, beekeepers know from their own experience what happens to the strength of a bee colony when the only food is sugar or other substitute. it only just holds its own and more often, it gradually declines in strength. This occurs occasionly when the season is poor and beekeepers are forced to feed the bees.
Feeding bees a nectar substitute and expecting this to result in the same hive strength, is like discharging a hospital patient who has been on a drip to keep him or her alive, and expecting the patient to immediately go for a 10 km run or a heavy workout at the gym.
Even if this was not the case it surely makes no sense to destroy a natural nectar resource and substitute it with a man made substitute
And …
Why should the beekeepers. whose industry is marginal at best, purchase a resource when it is already available in the natural environment?
So much for tasmania`s clean, green image.!!!!!
Mr Sargison also claimed that there was ample leatherwood resource for the beekeepers. This may be true for Tasmania as a whole, but it is just the opposite in the south of state.
It is in the south that most of the state`s pollination takes place.
Bob Davey
President – SaveYourLeatherwoodHoney Assocition,
Vice president – southern branch of the Tasmanian Beekeepers Association ).
The content of this release has been verified with the President of the Tasmanian Beekeepers Association Mr Julian Wolfhafen.
