Varroa mite has been detected in hives located in almond orchards at Balranald and Euston in southern New South Wales. The finds bring the total infested NSW premises to 250.
NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) enforced an Eradication Zone up to 10km from the detection sites and a Surveillance Emergency Zone (SEZ) 10-25km from the detection sites. Any bees in the Eradication Zone will be euthanised.
Varroa mite is a parasite of adult honey bees and honey bee brood that weakens and kills honey bee colonies and can transmit honey bee viruses.
At the time of going to print, Victoria remains free from Varroa mite, but with the Balranald and Euston SEZs extending into Victoria, beekeepers are asked to remain vigilant and to stay up to date. Agriculture Victoria has allowed Victorian bee hives to be removed from the SEZs via a permit system.
To apply for the permit, beekeepers must inform Agriculture Victoria of their hives’ current locations and destinations, and continue to report their movements to Agriculture Victoria. Beekeepers will also be required to undertake alcohol wash tests of the hives at the rates prescribed within seven days of moving.
Victorian Chief Plant Health Officer, Dr Rosa Crnov, said the decision to allow the movement of hives from the SEZ was due to pressing concerns regarding bee health and declining floral resources, and was made in consultation with state, territory and commonwealth governments, and affected industries as part of the National Response Plan.
Movement of bees, beehives, used beekeeping equipment and bee products from New South Wales into Victoria is strictly regulated and requires a permit. Permits will not be granted for queens, escorts and queen cells from NSW.
A local hobby beekeeper is concerned that local hobby beekeepers will lose hives because of the actions of commercial beekeepers in the almond orchards.
“There’s a lot of angst against the commercial side of it, and whether the general wellbeing of the bees and everything else is looked after,” they said. “Is there more of a risk being taken because, at the end of the day, they want to get paid for having their hives in the almonds, or are they following the rules and looking after their bees, and in turn, everybody else’s hives?”
They are also concerned that those with hives in the almonds might not have their hives destroyed. “People in the red zone, are they going to lose their hives whilst they’re in the almonds? There’s a lot of talk about rules changing because it’s the almond sector. Do the same rules apply to everyone? That’s my main concern, that’s my perspective as a small hobby farmer.”
Suspected cases of Varroa should be reported to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. Further details on Varroa can be found at agriculture.vic.gov.au/varroa.
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 7 September 2023.
