Australian
Screen

an NFSA website

Honeybee Blues (2009)

play
clip Meet the mite

Original classification rating: G. This clip chosen to be G

Clip description

Close-ups of healthy honeybees in action as well as bees infected with Varroa destructor precede a short cut-out stop motion-style digital animation detailing the arrival of the Varroa mite from Asia to Europe and across the globe. Dr Denis Anderson, a world leading bee pathologist, and narrator (Jenny Vuletic) describe the destructive mite, its behaviour and how the mites are killing off the world’s population of honeybees.

Curator’s notes

This clip economically outlines the subject of the documentary. The pace of this segment draws the viewer in, tempting them to learn more about this destructive parasite and how its existence threatens not only the honeybee, but humanity as well. The Australian viewer will be particularly interested in the fact that Australia is still the only country left unaffected by the parasite (as of February 2014).