How would you feel about having 40,000 bees in your tent?

How would you feel about having 40,000 bees in your tent?

Most people know their tents keep insects out, but scientists at Plant & Food Research are using tents to keep bees in.

Dr David Pattemore, based at the Plant & Food Research site in Hamilton, is using a tent as his laboratory, undertaking research that looks at the relationship between the kiwifruit disease Psa and bees.

Hives containing bees contaminated with the Psa bacteria are placed in the tent to keep the bees with their hives. The tent adds an extra level of security as the experiments are kept in a containment area on the site, but also means the scientists know exactly where they are at all times to avoid any accidental bee stings.

The research is investigating how long Psa bacteria can survive on bees and in a beehive. Results so far show that contaminated bees are free from Psa after six days but that bacteria can live for over 14 days in the hive environment. The research has also shown that the bacteria can be transmitted from bee to bee within a hive.

The results are contributing to best practice guidelines being developed by Kiwifruit Vine Health, the independent organisation leading the kiwifruit industry response to Psa.

For more information on Plant & Food Research's Psa research, visit www.plantandfood.co.nz/letsbeatpsa

ENDS

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