OTTAWA — Canadian beekeepers are sounding the alarm about a pest that's spreading in parts of Asia, and a Conservative MP is calling on the federal government to change a long-standing policy on importing bees from the U.S. in response.

Beekeepers and honey producers around the world have been keeping an eye on a parasite called the tropilaelaps mite, which feeds on young bees and can be devastating to hives.

"We're hoping to see the government intervene and stop the imports of bees from any offshore. We feel like North America needs to become a stronghold and keep this mite out," Chris Miedema, president of the Alberta Beekeepers Commission, told a press conference on Parliament Hill on Tuesday.

The mites have been detected in multiple countries, including Georgia, Uzbekistan, China, I

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