Beekeeper Glenn Locke Receives 'Overwhelming' Support After Losing Beehives to Varroa Mite and NSW Bushfires
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 ...