Beekeeper Glenn Locke Receives 'Overwhelming' Support After Losing Beehives to Varroa Mite and NSW Bushfires
In 2022, Glenn Locke, a beekeeper, faced a devastating setback when an outbreak of varroa mite infected his adult honey bees. The situation became so severe that an exclusion zone was established in the nearby Nana Glen area, leading to the euthanization of bees in all 74 of his hives across four different sites.
"I lost everything – it pretty much crippled my business for 12 months," Mr. Locke shared, highlighting the financial and emotional toll of the situation.
Despite the significant challenges of restarting his beekeeping business, Mr. Locke found hope by establishing new hives on a private property owned by friends near Nymboida. By mid-2023, he had managed to rebuild his bee colonies, totaling 40 hives. He also began creating YouTube videos to educate fellow beekeepers on varroa mite management techniques.
However, adversity struck again when bushfires ravaged the Nymboida area, leading to Mr. Locke's second loss. As a seasoned veteran of the Rural Fire Service with over 13 years of experience, Mr. Locke had been deployed to fight the Glens Creek Road bushfire in Nymboida as the captain of his local brigade on October 22.
Despite their initial efforts, worsening conditions caused the blaze to escalate to an emergency warning level the next day. Tragically, Mr. Locke lost all 40 of his hives in the ensuing fire.
"It was such a blow to lose them again," he expressed. "That little ark I had up there was my start to get [the business] going again… it's what I was relying on to keep going."
Beekeepers across Australia, including Mr. Locke, have been facing a challenging season marked by droughts, bushfires, excessive rainfall, varroa mite infestations, and another round of bushfires. According to Doug Purdie, Vice-president of Amateur Beekeeping Australia, beekeepers are struggling to cope with these adverse conditions.
Purdie also noted that government support packages for beekeepers affected by natural disasters are often insufficient, making their situation more challenging.
Despite the tremendous difficulties he faced, Mr. Locke initially kept the devastation to himself, pondering how to overcome this new obstacle. Eventually, he decided to share his situation through a video on his YouTube channel, where he has received substantial support from the online beekeeping community.
Guy Bertram, a beekeeper from Queensland who had formed a long-distance friendship with Mr. Locke through his YouTube series, reached out immediately after learning about the tragedy. The beekeeping community rallied behind Mr. Locke, raising over $10,000 through a GoFundMe campaign within days.
Additionally, beekeepers in the Northern Rivers region donated 40 hives to help Mr. Locke get back on his feet. He plans to set up these hives in the Orara Valley in the near future.
Mr. Locke expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming support he received and remains determined to rebuild his business for the third time. He shared the valuable lesson he learned: "When you're down and out and hurting, accept that help."
#Beekeeper, #VarroaMite, #Bushfires, #Support, #BeekeepingCommunity
