The varroa mite is a tiny but destructive pest responsible for the deaths of many honey bee colonies in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world....

Socio-scientific issues bring science learning to life. Our new content combines two vexing societal issues – new gene technologies and their potential uses for pest management....

New Zealand’s Biological Heritage – Ngā Koiora Tuku Iho National Science Challenge is investigating new tools to deal with pests threats, including varroa mites and myrtle...

RNA interference (RNAi) is a biological process in which RNA inhibits gene expression. It is a natural process in cells. As a biotechnology tool, RNA interference...

Genetic modification has been used in Aotearoa New Zealand since the 1970s. It is used in research laboratories and in contained field tests, in some medicines...

New Zealand's Biological Heritage – Ngā Koiora Tuku Iho (BioHeritage Challenge) is one of the 11 National Science Challenges created by the Ministry of Business, Innovation...

In traditional Māori society, a range of methods for pest control were developed such as reciting karakia, the strategic use of fire and smoke, soil preparation...

The fungus Austropuccinia psidii is responsible for causing the invasive plant disease commonly known as myrtle rust, which threatens a large range of plants within the...

Our pānui for Hūrae introduces free webinar opportunities and new resources, which cut across science, society and education. New resources on topical issues There’s a lot...

The ‘Buzz of bees’ is a Connected journal devoted entirely to bees. Each article has diagrams and illustrations that offer opportunities for students to develop the...

New Zealand might be an island nation, but that doesn’t stop us from having to deal with a variety of unwanted organisms that find their way...

University of Otago geneticist Peter Dearden is using the bee genome to develop a bee-friendly insecticide. Listen to this RNZ audio Bee-friendly insecticides from April 2014....

Plant & Food Research is investigating whether bumblebees can be used to pollinate flowers in commercial orchards. Dr David Pattemore from Plant & Food Research explains...

Watch varroa mites (white juveniles and brown adults) on honey bees and learn how they spread viruses that kill bee colonies. Dr Mark Goodwin of Plant...

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are the most important pollinators of many cultivated food crops and other flowering plants. These plants would be in trouble without bees,...

As science and technology advance, ethical issues are brought to the fore not only for scientists and technologists but also for the general public. The New...

Biosecurity is the process of detecting and controlling unwanted crop weeds, pests and diseases. Agriculture and the natural environment are very important to New Zealand’s economy....

A little mite, like a tiny spider the size of a pin head, has been plaguing New Zealand’s bee industry. The mites, called varroa, are parasites...

Next time you eat a kiwifruit, cut it in half and look at it before taking a bite. Look for the little seeds – most kiwifruit...

American foulbrood (AFB) is a highly infectious disease that infects bee larvae. It costs the beekeeping industry millions of dollars a year and threatens the role...