The Hon. Jackie Jarvis, Minister for Agriculture and Food (WA), Media Release, 30 October 2023
Western Australia has strong biosecurity and surveillance measures in place to protect the State’s bee industry from exotic pests and diseases including the bee parasite, varroa mite.
Varroa mite was first detected in the Port of Newcastle in New South Wales in June 2022. The national eradication response is now moving to a management phase after it was deemed no longer technically feasible to eradicate.
WA undertakes State and national bee pest surveillance programs which include extensive surveillance at ports and airports, considered to be the highest risk entry points for bees and bee parasites.
The surveillance program is coordinated by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) in WA with the support of volunteer beekeepers and covers Fremantle, Kwinana, Perth Airport, Bunbury, Albany, Esperance, Geraldton and Derby.
As part of the program, there are 40 sentinel hives in place at key locations across the State which act as an early warning system to detect exotic bees and signs of bee parasites. There are also 34 catch boxes located across Bunbury, Fremantle and Geraldton.
Plans are underway to expand the sentinel hive program to monitor additional industrial areas and freight hubs across the Perth metropolitan area.
Floral sweeps using butterfly nets to capture bees for identification are also routinely undertaken at Fremantle, Bunbury and Geraldton ports to monitor for exotic bees and mites.
WA has strict border quarantine to reduce the risk of varroa mite and other bee pests and disease entering the State. Bees, bee products including honey and other apiary products and beekeeping equipment are not permitted to be brought in without meeting import conditions and or treatments.
It is also a legal requirement for all beekeepers including hobbyists in WA to be registered with DPIRD. This is vitally important so that they can be contacted quickly in the case of pest or disease detection.
Beekeepers are also encouraged to check their own hives regularly and report anything unusual immediately by calling the Exotic Plant Pest hotline 1800 084 881.
Comments attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
“Western Australia is free of many significant bee pests and diseases including varroa mite.
“We have extensive surveillance and early detection measures in place to protect our State’s honeybees which are vital pollinators for our agriculture and horticulture industries.
“It is important for government, the honey industry and the community to continue to work together to keep WA free of varroa mite.
“I encourage all beekeepers to make sure they have registered their hives and are regularly checking for and reporting anything unusual immediately. The quicker a pest or disease is detected, the better chance we have of containing and eradicating it.”
