WEBVTT - How one hornet species could sting New Zealand’s environment and economy 0:00:05.320 --> 0:00:05.720 Kiyota. 0:00:05.840 --> 0:00:09.119 I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a 0:00:09.240 --> 0:00:16.680 daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. Bees are 0:00:16.840 --> 0:00:22.080 tiny but mighty players in New Zealand's environment and economy. 0:00:22.480 --> 0:00:27.680 They pollinate our gardens, native plants and crucial crops, supporting 0:00:27.800 --> 0:00:33.600 biodiversity and food production across the country. But an invasive 0:00:33.760 --> 0:00:39.920 threat is looming, the Queen yellow legged hornet. Since June, 0:00:40.120 --> 0:00:45.120 Biosecurity New Zealand has confirmed several detections of these pests 0:00:45.240 --> 0:00:49.839 across Auckland. Today on the front Page, Mahurangi Honey's Pete 0:00:49.960 --> 0:00:53.760 Johnston is with us to chat local honeymaking and why 0:00:53.960 --> 0:01:01.520 bees are so important. So Pete, can you tell me 0:01:01.720 --> 0:01:07.440 how crucial are bees to New Zealand's environment and agriculture sector. 0:01:07.920 --> 0:01:11.040 Well, it's very important actually, because you know, they're big 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:15.720 on pollination. They not only pollination pollinate for the agricultural sector, 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:21.000 but they also pollinate native species, you know, which regeneration 0:01:21.120 --> 0:01:23.959 of native bush which helps the ecosystems. 0:01:24.480 --> 0:01:27.319 Yeah, pollinate seventy five percent of our food do we eat. 0:01:27.480 --> 0:01:30.720 I often read things about you know, if the health 0:01:30.760 --> 0:01:35.680 of bees is in decline, then we're in big troubles 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:38.400 because there's such a huge part of the ecosystem. 0:01:38.480 --> 0:01:41.399 Hey, most definitely, Yes, most definitely. 0:01:42.000 --> 0:01:45.160 So what's this hornet that everyone's so worried about at 0:01:45.200 --> 0:01:48.000 the moment, and why is it such a huge biosecurity 0:01:48.080 --> 0:01:49.320 risk for New Zealand. 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:52.480 Well, at threatens of bees. They prey on the bees. 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:55.760 They're they're probably similar to the German wasp, which we've 0:01:55.800 --> 0:01:59.040 already been dealing with for quite a while in New Zealand. 0:01:59.560 --> 0:02:03.400 Was there bees, They'll they'll go in there and just 0:02:03.480 --> 0:02:07.120 pretty much annihilate them. They'll they'll eat the bees for protein, 0:02:07.600 --> 0:02:12.960 they'll eat the honey for carbohydrates. They'll just thrive, you know, 0:02:13.280 --> 0:02:17.040 take the German wass for example. In the past that 0:02:17.200 --> 0:02:19.440 they've come into the New Zealand. They've got no predators. 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:24.440 They're very adaptable to the resources around them. We had 0:02:24.520 --> 0:02:28.320 apriy up north a little bit. We left them with 0:02:28.400 --> 0:02:30.640 a couple of boxes of honey on them. They were 0:02:30.760 --> 0:02:35.680 very strong, fifteen hives on that particular site after harvest 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:39.440 so sore looking at January, and we didn't bother putting 0:02:39.440 --> 0:02:41.800 our entrance guards on, which sort of gives them a 0:02:41.800 --> 0:02:45.240 little form of protection. And we came back about a 0:02:45.240 --> 0:02:47.920 couple of months later and there was these big German moss. 0:02:48.080 --> 0:02:49.799 They found them and they're just nailing them. 0:02:50.240 --> 0:02:53.920 They'd taken out sixty six percent of that apriy, you know. 0:02:54.000 --> 0:02:56.960 So it's a big problem. Yeah, and not only problems 0:02:56.960 --> 0:02:59.840 for us, but also for a you know, for the 0:03:00.000 --> 0:03:01.960 species in New Zealand. They've got the potential to take 0:03:02.000 --> 0:03:04.400 out all the vertebrates in New Zealand on once they 0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:04.880 get going. 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:09.880 Yeah, because I see reports of the queens being found, 0:03:10.160 --> 0:03:13.320 and there seems to be a specific mention of the 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:19.280 queens being in constructing a nest, or being in the 0:03:19.400 --> 0:03:22.720 throes of construction for a nest. How important is it 0:03:22.800 --> 0:03:26.079 that it doesn't actually solidify? And what happens when they 0:03:26.080 --> 0:03:28.280 get the nest? Are they making a home for all 0:03:28.280 --> 0:03:31.440 their millions of buddies or is the queen pregnant or 0:03:31.480 --> 0:03:32.400 what happens there? 0:03:33.000 --> 0:03:35.240 Well, from my understanding, once again, they'd be similar to 0:03:35.280 --> 0:03:39.640 German German moss does. In between March and February, they 0:03:39.920 --> 0:03:42.600 go into a mating program of their own. 0:03:42.960 --> 0:03:45.680 They'll mate, they'll make about one. 0:03:45.520 --> 0:03:48.760 Thousand to two thousand queens, and then those queens will 0:03:48.800 --> 0:03:53.560 go out hybrid and aw'll be already pregnant and are 0:03:53.560 --> 0:03:58.640 the beggs and them ready to go? And after winter 0:03:58.680 --> 0:04:02.520 they'll come out. In each queen, there's a potential to 0:04:02.560 --> 0:04:03.760 start a new colony. 0:04:04.560 --> 0:04:06.320 These wantings are pretty much the same. 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:08.240 They don't make as many, I think from my understanding, 0:04:08.280 --> 0:04:10.800 to make on an average about three hundred and three 0:04:10.840 --> 0:04:13.760 point fifty. They can get up to five hundred queens 0:04:14.160 --> 0:04:17.239 through in a season, probably about the same time as 0:04:17.760 --> 0:04:21.320 the German wasp and the common wasp, and they'll go 0:04:21.360 --> 0:04:24.000 and hibernate and then from there so it just goes 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:26.919 pretty much you do the maths on, it's pretty much exponential. 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:30.080 So it's really important to nip it in the bud. Now, 0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:36.719 you know, the MPI, Partner's Conservation, whoever, any government department, 0:04:36.720 --> 0:04:39.480 they need to really get on board and get whatever 0:04:39.560 --> 0:04:42.720 resources they can get in there to deal with this critter. 0:04:43.440 --> 0:04:44.920 Yeah, well you mentioned the moth. 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:45.760 What else? 0:04:46.320 --> 0:04:50.839 Bees threatened by Argentine. 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:53.520 Nance is another problem. They've been around. 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:57.920 Quite noticeable around the pretty much the whole coastline of 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:01.359 New Zealand, and they're a whack with the balance of 0:05:01.400 --> 0:05:04.440 things here too, and they got the potential to go 0:05:04.839 --> 0:05:08.280 into a carnooka tree and get behind a big weather 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:11.680 for example, and just eat it alive. We've seen an 0:05:11.720 --> 0:05:15.440 area firsthand where you know, a couple of kill meters 0:05:15.480 --> 0:05:17.920 that way and a couple of kilometers that way, a 0:05:17.960 --> 0:05:20.520 couple of kill meters that way, where the Argentine ance 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:22.720 are just everywhere. It doesn't matter what you pick up 0:05:23.160 --> 0:05:26.320 that they're there. The Department and Conservation aware of the problem, 0:05:26.360 --> 0:05:28.480 but how to deal with it is a big one. 0:05:28.640 --> 0:05:32.640 We're really conscious conscious of when we move gear from 0:05:32.680 --> 0:05:36.320 those sites that we don't take the ants with us 0:05:36.320 --> 0:05:39.920 to another site. That those particular sites we have our 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:43.559 bees up on pallets, on legs and motes of water 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:47.240 or grease on rides of steel, so the ants can't 0:05:47.279 --> 0:05:50.080 get up and attack the bees because they will. 0:05:50.120 --> 0:05:54.400 Once again, they're no different to the wasp or these these. 0:05:54.240 --> 0:05:59.400 Adocrits, these hornets, where you know, they get off on 0:05:59.480 --> 0:06:02.800 them the protein and the carbohydrates from the honey. 0:06:02.839 --> 0:06:05.920 So the full rob mode. The bees are freaking out. 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:08.719 Yeah, they pick on the weak highs first and then 0:06:09.279 --> 0:06:13.520 as they go through those week hives they get stronger 0:06:13.839 --> 0:06:16.800 and then it gives them the power the force to 0:06:16.839 --> 0:06:20.200 get into the more stronger heights and take the email 0:06:20.240 --> 0:06:20.679 as well. 0:06:27.120 --> 0:06:31.560 Bumblebees have particularly large and heavy bodies, and flight for 0:06:31.640 --> 0:06:35.400 them can be a real effort. That's particularly so in 0:06:35.520 --> 0:06:39.240 spring when the mornings are cold and queen bumblebees are 0:06:39.279 --> 0:06:43.600 just emerging from their winter sleep. It's only a few 0:06:43.680 --> 0:06:47.160 degrees above freezing, but a queen needs to get started 0:06:47.200 --> 0:06:48.520 early to look for food. 0:06:51.480 --> 0:06:55.640 How well do you think that the biosecurity system supports 0:06:55.760 --> 0:06:59.400 local beekeepers in managing those invasive species. 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:04.359 We've had a f B American foul brood in the 0:07:04.360 --> 0:07:07.360 country for a long time and that's one of the 0:07:07.640 --> 0:07:09.640 one of the things that are hot on and they've 0:07:09.680 --> 0:07:11.960 got quite a good system where they've got a digital system. 0:07:13.040 --> 0:07:16.560 As a beekeeper or anybody that's got bees, it's by 0:07:16.680 --> 0:07:18.040 law you have to report if you. 0:07:18.000 --> 0:07:18.720 Do get a f B. 0:07:18.840 --> 0:07:22.760 It's like a bacterium that gets into the hives and 0:07:23.920 --> 0:07:28.360 it affects the brood, and by law you've got to 0:07:28.400 --> 0:07:32.080 report it. Basically, dig a hole and put the box 0:07:32.120 --> 0:07:34.280 and b's in the hole and burn them. 0:07:34.440 --> 0:07:36.280 And it's as simple as that. It's quite a good system, 0:07:36.400 --> 0:07:37.800 so they're on board there. 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:42.400 They've got quite good resources and tracking for all that 0:07:42.440 --> 0:07:45.280 sort of thing. They notify the beekeepers within a five 0:07:45.360 --> 0:07:49.440 k radius if it's reported, so that that particular thing's 0:07:49.520 --> 0:07:52.440 really good. As far as the variamites that have come 0:07:52.440 --> 0:07:55.480 into the country. There's another example of something coming in. 0:07:55.520 --> 0:07:59.440 There's been a burial pain in the butt that came 0:07:59.480 --> 0:08:02.440 in two thousand, in twenty two, and we're dealing with it. 0:08:02.440 --> 0:08:05.000 It's very expensive to deal. 0:08:04.760 --> 0:08:08.800 With How much does it cost to deal with well, 0:08:10.040 --> 0:08:15.920 I can imagine like a fairly established size company running 0:08:15.920 --> 0:08:18.320 maybe two or three thousand hives. 0:08:18.400 --> 0:08:20.800 You know, they've been looking at probably about twenty. 0:08:20.560 --> 0:08:23.720 Thousand dollars every six months and treatments to deal with it. 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:27.400 So the pharmaceutical companies that are providing these goods for it, 0:08:27.400 --> 0:08:30.480 they're rubbing their hands together, but they are poor or beekeepers. 0:08:30.560 --> 0:08:33.880 They've really you know, they can't manage as many hives 0:08:33.920 --> 0:08:35.440 as what they used to do. As a matter of fact, 0:08:35.520 --> 0:08:38.360 we've actually backed off. We've backed off. We're in a 0:08:38.400 --> 0:08:41.079 small company and it's just my wife and I. My 0:08:41.200 --> 0:08:44.439 son helps us, and we've downsized just so we can 0:08:44.520 --> 0:08:47.160 manage our bees a bit better and keep them healthy. 0:08:47.200 --> 0:08:50.720 Because things can quickly easily get out of control. For example, 0:08:50.800 --> 0:08:53.600 if you have a really good honey flow like we've 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:56.960 had in the last couple of years, be populations pick 0:08:57.000 --> 0:08:59.480 up from about five to ten thousand bees up to 0:08:59.480 --> 0:09:04.880 about forty even sixty thousand bees per hive, and then 0:09:06.080 --> 0:09:08.720 say January, you'll take the honey off and then the 0:09:08.720 --> 0:09:11.800 bee population comes down, but the mic population is still there. 0:09:12.040 --> 0:09:16.840 It's increased with population with those bee populations, and they 0:09:16.920 --> 0:09:19.319 just smash the bees hard in autumn. 0:09:19.520 --> 0:09:22.320 They're a real problem, Yeah, real problem. 0:09:22.480 --> 0:09:24.480 Is there anything that can be done about them, like 0:09:24.559 --> 0:09:27.240 to eradicate them completely or do you just have to 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:30.200 live with the consequences of having them there now? 0:09:31.520 --> 0:09:32.800 Yeah, that's pretty much it, I think. 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:34.600 And you know, like we've got a lot of young 0:09:34.760 --> 0:09:38.600 enthusiastic guys coming through and we're kind of hoping how 0:09:38.640 --> 0:09:41.480 the country's working on it as well, New Zealand and Australia. 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:42.520 Australia has just got it. 0:09:42.840 --> 0:09:44.880 We're getting mailed by it quite hard because we have 0:09:44.880 --> 0:09:47.560 big populations of bees on our honey flows. 0:09:47.800 --> 0:09:48.000 Yeah. 0:09:48.440 --> 0:09:50.440 In other countries where it's a bit more cool up 0:09:50.440 --> 0:09:52.920 in Europe, they have a brewd break the bees. The 0:09:53.000 --> 0:09:55.559 queens stop laying so they don't get They don't get 0:09:55.559 --> 0:09:57.600 them as bad as what we do. There are I 0:09:57.600 --> 0:10:01.120 think there are different species of my and maybe even 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:05.280 different strains they may. My prediction is they probably more 0:10:05.320 --> 0:10:08.760 than likely sort of like hot fybridiz, they may you know, 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:14.439 evolve stronger, you know, sort of yeah, that way there, 0:10:14.440 --> 0:10:16.760 because we've got other problems coming up in the future, 0:10:16.800 --> 0:10:19.800 possibly where they become resistance to some of the organic 0:10:19.920 --> 0:10:23.240 or generic treatments that we're thrown at them, you know, eg, 0:10:23.559 --> 0:10:26.240 Like the ones that we get from the pharmaceuticals to 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:29.880 to bring the light. Might levels right down in autumn 0:10:29.960 --> 0:10:32.920 when there's no honey on there. That's when you treat them, 0:10:33.440 --> 0:10:36.680 and you might levels right down, and then they'll they'll 0:10:36.679 --> 0:10:39.120 come slightly come back up again the next season. 0:10:39.200 --> 0:10:42.280 With you know, the bee population coming up. 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:45.120 One of the problems we faces, like the last couple 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:47.800 of seasons have been really swarm seasons. 0:10:47.840 --> 0:10:50.319 So if you haven't got control of the a breeze, 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:51.239 they'll swarm. 0:10:51.360 --> 0:10:54.080 I mean that's a great thing, but if a bee 0:10:54.160 --> 0:10:56.679 colony goes into a tree you haven't got to bee 0:10:56.760 --> 0:11:00.400 keeper caring for it, they'll die out over late autumn 0:11:00.520 --> 0:11:03.120 winter and then we'll treat our bees and they'll be 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:05.640 all all good. But then they'll go and rob the 0:11:05.720 --> 0:11:08.559 honey off the bese and the trees that have or cows, 0:11:08.520 --> 0:11:11.920 sheep walls, et cetera that are wild that have gone feral, 0:11:12.640 --> 0:11:16.720 and bring the mites back, and you'll have reinfestation of 0:11:16.760 --> 0:11:20.120 these mites. So we've got mites, we've got Argentine hands, 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:22.960 we've got German wasp and common moss. We do not 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:29.400 need the Asian hornets, yellow leg torn No, it. 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:32.800 Sounds like you're dealing with a whole bunch of stuff already. 0:11:32.960 --> 0:11:37.200 So I can imagine why you guys are worried. What 0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:41.640 worries you most about the future of beekeeping in New Zealand, 0:11:42.880 --> 0:11:43.439 Well that. 0:11:43.480 --> 0:11:47.199 In particular, Like I know the beekeepers and they're really enthusiastic, 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:54.319 really innovaded, highly motivated, educated, and they put they've got 0:11:54.320 --> 0:11:57.040 everything on the line. There's already big companies going bust 0:11:57.080 --> 0:12:00.840 at the moment because you know, with the on running 0:12:00.840 --> 0:12:06.079 costs and honey's come down in price a bit, they 0:12:06.080 --> 0:12:10.240 are struggling. They've got everything on the line. So it's 0:12:10.240 --> 0:12:11.800 going to make it it's going to make it even 0:12:11.800 --> 0:12:14.640 more tricky. They've got something else to deal with like 0:12:14.720 --> 0:12:17.440 this creature. So we've only got a short window of 0:12:17.480 --> 0:12:20.280 opportunity to get it, and that's pretty much between now 0:12:20.320 --> 0:12:24.720 and winter. So MPI Department's conservation, they're pretty much got 0:12:24.800 --> 0:12:27.800 to throw everything at it, even to the point probably 0:12:27.840 --> 0:12:30.400 where some ideas, you know, like I like the idea 0:12:30.480 --> 0:12:33.000 where they're putting pamphlets out in the Glenfield area where 0:12:33.000 --> 0:12:37.560 it's been found, educating people. People in the Glenfield area 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:40.760 need to google this creature, become familiar with it. 0:12:41.360 --> 0:12:42.559 You know, it's easy to do. 0:12:42.800 --> 0:12:46.520 It's pretty distinctive in its appearances. They need to get 0:12:46.640 --> 0:12:48.920 to get on board with that and go out there 0:12:48.920 --> 0:12:51.679 looking for it. The government departments could possibly look at 0:12:51.800 --> 0:12:55.400 getting private contractors, and there are contractors out there that 0:12:55.480 --> 0:12:58.920 eradicate rates and weeds and stuff like that. 0:12:59.240 --> 0:13:01.199 I'm sure people on the ground you know. 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:08.200 This far. 0:13:08.400 --> 0:13:13.000 I gotta say something. You're like jazz. You're talking to humans. 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:17.000 You're flying outside behind very deep beats there. 0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:19.120 So you see soda spilled on a sidewalk and you 0:13:19.160 --> 0:13:19.760 don't drink it. 0:13:20.840 --> 0:13:23.640 Is a little bee. He's not bothering anybody. 0:13:23.679 --> 0:13:27.240 Get out of here, your creep discovering a big secret. 0:13:27.360 --> 0:13:28.240 How did this get here? 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:31.600 Is this honeyberry just is stealing cute bee? 0:13:31.840 --> 0:13:34.880 Golden blossom? Rayly Yoda private select. 0:13:37.160 --> 0:13:40.160 It does seem like quite a slippery slope if it 0:13:40.400 --> 0:13:44.720 does take hold. Can you remember when I suppose the 0:13:44.720 --> 0:13:48.120 first couple of moths were found, or the first couple 0:13:48.160 --> 0:13:52.240 of those ants were found, how quickly did they take hold? 0:13:52.800 --> 0:13:54.440 Well they did with a moth, I can. 0:13:54.840 --> 0:13:59.800 I can quite clearly remember the the orion circling Auckland's 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:01.920 wise And I don't know what they were spraying around 0:14:01.920 --> 0:14:03.880 in the skies. I don't know if that's a street 0:14:03.920 --> 0:14:06.640 that we need to go up. That's that's that'd be 0:14:06.640 --> 0:14:10.640 a major concern, especially spraying over a populated area. I'm 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:14.880 sure they'll get a lot of flak from that. That's 0:14:14.920 --> 0:14:17.280 a big, big one. That's where he needs a lot 0:14:17.320 --> 0:14:17.679 of thought. 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:18.719 But suit me. 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:24.680 People on the ground doing surveillance, traps, lots of traps 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:27.160 they can use out there to try and catch it, 0:14:27.240 --> 0:14:31.000 and basically looking looking on northern slopes, warm gullies around 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:33.040 that area. If it makes its way out of that 0:14:33.120 --> 0:14:35.880 area into the bush, she's pretty much over read rover. 0:14:36.480 --> 0:14:38.920 We won't get it. Yeah, if it's anything like the 0:14:39.000 --> 0:14:39.600 German boss. 0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:44.520 How can everyday ordinary New Zealanders try and help not 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:48.000 only looking out for this was, but for bees in general. 0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:52.000 I mean I've seen videos of people sprinkling wildflowers in 0:14:52.040 --> 0:14:54.400 their in their gardens or something. I mean, does that 0:14:54.440 --> 0:14:55.440 stuff actually work? 0:14:56.040 --> 0:14:56.520 I think so? 0:14:56.640 --> 0:15:00.640 Yeah, great, that'd be great year Like borage and herbs, 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:02.440 they could look at look it up fruit trees in 0:15:02.480 --> 0:15:05.400 the back yard. They'll better prosper from the pollination as well. 0:15:05.440 --> 0:15:07.560 You know, the pollinations off the scale. If you've got 0:15:07.880 --> 0:15:13.680 bees around, maybe it's being mindful when they're using herbicides 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:17.200 and then sector sides if they decide to use them 0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:21.040 and use them spearingly. If you can pull out a weed, 0:15:21.680 --> 0:15:25.240 pull it out, don't need to spray it. Thistles, for example, 0:15:25.280 --> 0:15:27.600 you don't need to spray this was. We used to 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:29.440 just grub them with a grub. It's just as quick, 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:32.440 good workout. You don't need to go to the gym 0:15:32.480 --> 0:15:36.600 if you're doing that sort of stuff. Yeah, there's lots 0:15:36.640 --> 0:15:40.560 of things that that can be done to help the bees. 0:15:41.000 --> 0:15:43.920 There's legislation that was brought out years ago that you 0:15:43.960 --> 0:15:48.760 can personally be personally liable if you spray plants that 0:15:48.800 --> 0:15:51.800 are in flour when the bleak, when the honey flowers 0:15:51.840 --> 0:15:55.680 on and the bee populations are high, so each like 0:15:55.680 --> 0:15:57.760 a farm or something like that, spray and gorse when 0:15:57.880 --> 0:16:00.640 and fully in flour. Those sorts of things really need 0:16:00.680 --> 0:16:03.200 to be done at the right in the right season, 0:16:03.200 --> 0:16:06.080 at the right time. But yeah, there is legislation that 0:16:06.160 --> 0:16:08.680 they can actually be liable for all costs. 0:16:10.160 --> 0:16:12.000 The damage is done to an aprick. 0:16:12.080 --> 0:16:15.880 For example, if a young person came up to you 0:16:15.920 --> 0:16:20.800 tomorrow and said, I want a career in beekeeping. It's 0:16:20.840 --> 0:16:24.000 my lifelong dream, what would you tell them. Would you 0:16:24.040 --> 0:16:26.960 say pack it in, go to UNI and learn something else, 0:16:27.120 --> 0:16:28.880 or would you say stick with it. 0:16:29.400 --> 0:16:30.400 Yeah, No, they really. 0:16:30.200 --> 0:16:33.440 Need to, you know, someone who's young, an enthusiastic and 0:16:33.520 --> 0:16:34.640 once to get into beekeeping. 0:16:34.880 --> 0:16:37.000 Yeah, go for it. Yeah, we definitely need the more 0:16:37.000 --> 0:16:37.600 people come in. 0:16:37.600 --> 0:16:41.920 And there's been a decline and beekeepers and beg companies 0:16:41.960 --> 0:16:45.640 have been you know, well with ongoing costs and you know, 0:16:45.680 --> 0:16:47.240 these problems that we're having worth. 0:16:47.120 --> 0:16:53.080 Mines for example, especially dropping honey prices. 0:16:53.880 --> 0:16:56.520 There's definitely been in decline and bee companies have been 0:16:56.600 --> 0:17:01.600 dropping left, right and center. There was an increase in 0:17:01.640 --> 0:17:03.760 the from about twenty nineteen. 0:17:03.800 --> 0:17:05.520 It was a big. 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:06.760 Increase because it was a bit of a gold rush. 0:17:06.800 --> 0:17:09.399 Honey prices were good. A lot of people jumped on board. 0:17:10.720 --> 0:17:13.159 But yeah, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. 0:17:13.200 --> 0:17:16.280 It's a great industry to be in, even starting off. 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:17.879 Being a hobbyist is the way to go, you know, 0:17:17.920 --> 0:17:20.399 and get the feel of it. Get some knowledge behind 0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:22.280 you before you jump in with both feet. You've got 0:17:22.640 --> 0:17:23.600 less to lose. 0:17:23.359 --> 0:17:25.600 That way, you know. Lots of lot can go wrong. 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:28.120 When you're a beekeeper if you haven't got control, that's 0:17:28.119 --> 0:17:28.520 for sure. 0:17:28.800 --> 0:17:31.199 Thanks for joining us, Pete no worries. 0:17:31.359 --> 0:17:32.840 Hopefully that's helpful information. 0:17:36.680 --> 0:17:39.800 That's it for this episode of The Front Page. You 0:17:39.840 --> 0:17:43.600 can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage 0:17:43.600 --> 0:17:47.639 at nsidherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is 0:17:47.640 --> 0:17:50.760 produced by Jane Ye and Richard Martin, who was also 0:17:50.960 --> 0:17:55.400 our editor. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to The Front Page 0:17:55.440 --> 0:17:59.040 on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, and tune 0:17:59.080 --> 0:18:02.080 in on Monday for another look behind the headlines.