Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1503368
12 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 JULY 2023 Beekeeper appeals for action against killer hornets before Maltese honeybee is wiped out MATTHEW FARRUGIA MALTESE Apiculturists remain hopeful in their attempts to safe- guard local bee colonies from Oriental Hornets as well as the genetic make-up of the Maltese Honeybee, despite concerns over lack of government action to pro- tect the vital insect. Speaking to MaltaToday, apiculturist and Secretary Gener- al of Għaqda Trobbija tan-Naħal u Għasel Malti, Rodney Galea said that the Maltese bee-keeping community is trying to prevent the devastating effects of a hor- net invasion similar to one which raised alarms in 2022. In fact, Galea stated that due to a lack of immediate action and aware- ness about the increasing hornet population, around 65% of bees in Malta had been wiped out in 2022. Among the factors fuelling the rise of hornet populations, readily available food for such hornets is a big issue. Galea explained that a prominent occurrence which was noted last year is that hornets can easily tear through organic waste bags in the street for a near un- limited supply of food. Another source of food in urban areas is cat food which is given out by cat feeders. Galea appealed to the public so that one does not put their organ- ic waste bags in the street for long periods of time before collection. He also appealed to cat feeders to provide reasonable amounts of food to cats, and not leave mounds of feed. "This," Galea explained, "not only protects our bees, but it also protects the cats and cat feeders from hornets." Unlike bee stings, hornet stings require immediate medical atten- tion, and if stung, this can result in serious nerve damage in hu- mans, while hornet stings may even prove fatal in animals such as cats and dogs. Galea notes that certain aban- doned homes and structures are perfect hiding spots for hornet hives. He stated that government should be able to enter these structures to wipe out the hives before they grow and start to cause havoc in residential areas as well. Apart from this, Galea said beekeepers require broad action to be taken from government if one wants to avoid repeating the same mistakes that occurred last year, while helping the local bee population to recover. When asked by MaltaToday about what actions were taken to mitigate last year's devas- tation, Galea said government offered beekeepers whose hives had been destroyed a sum of €10 as a form of subsidy. "This is far from enough," Galea stat- ed, noting that when a hive is destroyed, the loss usually amounts to around €170. In- stead, a minimum sum of €80 for those whose hives were dec- imated would put beekeepers in a better position to recover their losses and grow their hives again. Fortunately, Galea notes that Reġjun Tramuntana, the local government entity which groups together northern local councils, have supplied beekeepers with hornet traps which will be in use this season. These traps, he added, are the only way the hornet popu- lation can be reduced. Concerns over the Maltese Honeybee's genetics The hornet invasion, as well as the importation of foreign hon- eybees are the main sources of concern for those conserving the Maltese Honeybee as a species. Galea said the importation of other breeds has led to chang- es in the genetic make-up of the Maltese Honeybee over the years, leading to more aggressive behav- iour from the insect. Galea appealed to the govern- ment to ban the importation of foreign bees to safeguard the lo- cal species. Additionally, he not- ed that government's own bee colonies which were once kept in Għammieri have also suffered the effects of the hornet population growth. Galea believes government can easily set up bee colonies in Comi- no, which, apart from boosting the local population, would do wonders to the natural environ- ment on the island. "It's not too late," he pleaded, noting that if action is taken in a timely manner, the local bee can be saved, and may thrive once again. New five-storey office block sets precedent in Xewkija JAMES DEBONO THE Planning Authority has ap- proved a five-storey office block instead of the Vinyard restaurant on Triq l-Imgarr next to the Lidl in Gozo. The Planning Commission overruled the case officer and the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage which had recommend- ed a refusal. The approval sets a precedent for highly visible five storey de- velopments in an area where the predominant buildings are one to two floors. The new commercial block lo- cated at the margin of the Xewkija industrial estate will also include a retail shop at ground floor level. It was proposed by Mark Agius, owner of the Ta' Dirjanu super- market and a business partner of construction magnate Joseph Portelli. The office block will occupy the entire 825sq.m pres- ently occupied by the two-storey restaurant and its surrounding gardens. The case officer had recom- mended a refusal because the proposed development was in- compatible "with the urban de- sign and environmental charac- teristics of the surrounding area" and because it will not "contrib- ute towards the improvement of the visual amenity of the area, and therefore runs counter to the Gozo and Comino Local Plan". The Gozo and Comino Local Plan does not set a height limi- tation for this area, which means that buildings should respect the predominant height of build- ings within the surrounding area which in this case is one of two floors. Furthermore, the Super- intendence of Cultural Heritage after analysing a photomontage presented by the developer, had warned that the new block would intrude upon long distance views of the landscape surrounding the Cittadella as seen from this stra- tegic road. But the Planning Commission chaired by Stefania Baldacchino concluded that the proposed de- velopment will not intrude on the long-distance views of Cittadella itself. Planning Commission overrules case officer and heritage watchdog to approve five-storey office blocks next to Gozo Lidl Beekeepers worry about the devastating impact the uncontrolled population growth of Oriental Hornets is having on the Maltese honeybee. Rodney Galea (inset) says 65% of bees in Malta were wiped out in 2022.