Chart of the day: 45 million Aussie bees buzz off to new Canadian home
Posted
Pollination lovers around the world celebrated the first ever World Bee Day on the weekend, drawing attention to the central role bees play in ecosystems everywhere.
There has been growing discussion around Australia's live export industry and even calls to ban the live export of sheep from Australian shores. But did you know that Australia also sends live bees abroad?
With much of the world experiencing a global bee crisis, Australia remains one of the only countries free from the Varroa destructor mite.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources over the past four years Australia has exported more than 45 million bees to Canada to help revive its population and to help keep crops pollinated.
What should I read next?
- Colony collapse: 10 years after the crisis began, what is happening to the world's bees?
- EU ban on neonicotinoids triggers call for a similar ban in Australia to protect bees
- Bees are starting to evolve to survive destructive varroa mite, researcher says
- Brisbane researchers discover bees can be left or right-handed
- Man drives 65 kilometres with 3,000 bees loose in truck cab
Want more charts?
This is part of a new daily series featuring charts which tell a story. If you know of some data that fits the bill, we'd love to hear about it.
- Were The Simpsons on an escalator to nowhere?
- The most manly (and womanly) jobs in Australia
- For three decades Australia's income tax has been getting progressively less progressive
- More...
Topics: trade, ecology, pests, beekeeping, australia, canada