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NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, NOVEMBER 2016
CHATHAM ISLAND SKEPPING FROM THE CHATHAMS
Mana Cracknell and Michele Andersen
On the Chatham Islands, spring properly begins in October—a month and a half later than it does in Matangi-nui– Matangi-roa—ancient names for the South Island and North Island of mainland New Zealand. In the small number of house orchards, quince and pear trees are in blossom while apple trees are just beginning to display bud.
In our vege garden (amongst the weeds), a trial crop of rapini planted back in June is flowering nicely. Italian, European and British bees are happily foraging its nectar and pollen, while its leaves are a welcome addition to supplement the larder. Rapini, a plant from Italy, is the vege-of-moment (2015–2016) for chefs working high-class restaurants in New York. On the island, however, basic survival is the pervasive reality and in this context rapini has a multiple value for bees, for stock and humans. Out along the roadsides and in many paddocks, protein-rich gorse is in full flower. The known factor is that increased supplies of gorse pollen arriving in the hive trigger drone production. Drone comb has been placed in pre-selected hives to ensure a strong and diverse natural queen mate across the island and to provide semen for artificial insemination (AI) projects in 2016. In 2013–2015 gorse was sprayed while in flower. As a result, about 20–30 hives were lost in each year. The decision to spray gorse in flower was an initiative partially funded by Environment Canterbury (ECAN) and the Chatham Island Council. When challenged in respect to timing, ECAN responded that apparently it was not possible for a helicopter pilot to identify a paddock full of gorse whilst at spraying height unless the gorse was flowering. Beekeepers were not a party to the decision, nor were they notified about where the helicopter was working so they could close off their hives in those areas. In their apiaries, island beekeepers (six) are beginning to ready hives for the spring– summer onset of mostly clover honey. Last year two young Chatham Islanders came forward to front the challenges of island skepping along with existing involvements on family-owned farms. Is there an inkling here of an emergent national model where beekeeping and farming are inextricably
Michele with a Chatham Island virgin queen. Photo: Mana Cracknell.
is super-critical for the continuance of beekeeping in mainland New Zealand. The term in business is CSP—to ensure realisation of Critical Success Potential. Is there an inkling here of an emergent national model where beekeeping and farming are inextricably linked in a series of land-based economic partnerships provenanced on meat, vegetables, milk and honey production?
linked in a series of land-based economic partnerships provenanced on meat, vegetables, milk and honey production? There are still no signs of varroa, AFB or nosema in local hives. It is important to preserve this small but important advantage by keeping the island as a fallback sanctuary for clean bees within the wider sphere of New Zealand bee-onics. This year, legislation will be drafted to put to government to establish the island as a beehaven sanctuary. The draft will be based on Australian bee sanctuary legislation (dating from 1885–1931) enacted to preserve the mixed Ligurian (Italian) bee population on Kangaroo Island. A sturdy biosecurity interface is critical for maintaining a disease-free bee population on the Chatham Islands; however, the big picture is that a healthy Chatham island bee population
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