More Varroa Mite Found in The Hunter

BY OLIVIA DILLON

 

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) says nine new premises across the Hunter and the Central Coast have been found to be infected with varroa mite.

In the Hunter alone, cases have been detected at Brookfield, Glen William, Loxford, and Sawyers Gully.

The discovery has prompted a new emergency order, and brings the total number of affected properties to 131 since the parasite was originally found at the Port of Newcastle last June.

 

The DPI will dispose of the bees and equipment on affected properties, and is encouraging bee keepers with hives in the extension areas to consider harvesting their honey. 

 

 

Varroa mite detected at Mulbring, Tumbi Umbi

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Two new varroa mite incidents have been detected across the Hunter and Central Coast.

The findings at hives at Mulbring and Tumbi Umbi mean the eradication and emergency zone has yet again been expanded.

The Department of Primary Industries is now contact tracing the latest detections, but is confident the situation is under control.

106 infestations have now been detected since the first report at the Port of Newcastle in June.

Petition gathering steam to stop bee euthanasia in varroa mite fight

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A Central Coast beekeeper has gathered more than 25,000 signatures behind a petition to stop the State Government euthanising bees as part of the response to the Hunter's varroa mite outbreak.

The Department of Primary Industries remains confident it can eradicate the mite from New South Wales, by killing both infected and uninfected bee populations in red emergency zones.

But Jilliby beekeper Dolby Benesh, who had 51 hives on his property destroyed last week, argues the policy needs to be changed.

He says the current course is dealing "irreversible" damage.

"The bees could be treated," he said. "The science that we're using to do the eradication is outdated for many years, not updated, not effective, not current."

"Beekeepers are being pushed into a very tight corner where they've been forced to agree to kill their bees."

Australia was the only major honey-producing free from the pest until the detection at the Port of Newcastle in June.

No country has ever succeeded in containing the mite, but the Department of Primary Industries believes because the outbreak has been largely localised to the Hunter, it can be contained and eradicated.

While financial support and compensation packages are being offered to beekeepers affected by the crisis, Mr Benesh says it's not enough, and they should be allowed to get on with the job.

"It's part of life," he said. "Every beekeeper around the world already learned how to deal with it, and they live with that, and there's no problem."

"It's not a massive issue. We have plenty of other, much bigger tasks in the beekeeping industry. We have the small hive beetle, which is much more vicious, much more damaging, much more harming than the varroa mite."

Bee baiting begins at Jerrys Plains as varroa mite battle rages on

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Department of Primary Industries is hoping to eradicate wild bees at Jerrys Plains, as it works to contain the Hunter's varroa mite infestation.

A baiting program will begin next week to wipe out the wild populations of European honey bees, which could be carrying the pest.

The bait stations will be monitored by staff and could be in place for up to a year, but insecticide will only be used in shorter bursts.

They're carefully designed to exclude other animals and insects, prevent soil or water contamination, and will be two kilometres within the eradication zones so as not to affect bees outside the area.

Tocal College Bees Euthanised in Latest Move Against Varroa Mite

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Hives at Tocal Agricultural College have been euthanised as part of the all-of-industry response to the recent varroa mite outbreak. 

The bees, which were part of national honey bee genetics program 'Plan Bee', fell under a NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) eradication zone. 

However, as part of the National Varroa Mite Response Plan, a number of queen bees were able to be removed and re-homed. 

This was allowed under a permit system put in place for commercial breeders, to ensure queens with high-value genetics are banked for future breeding and research. 

Whilst disappointed to lose the population, the DPI has said the breeding program will continue, thanks to its national wingspan. 

The Department is now calling on local breeders to support the program by collecting and submitting data on their own genetic lines. 

Varroa Mite Unlikely to Have Originated at the Port of Newcastle

BY OLIVIA DILLON

It's now believed the varroa mite could have been present in the Hunter for years, following an enquiry into the parasite's origin in the region. 

Surveillance conducted after the mite's discovery at the Port of Newcastle, indicates there were high numbers of mites in hives up to 10 kilometres away from the detection point. 

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHIC) CEO Daniel La Feuvre appeared before a senate inquiry into the adequacy of Australia's biosecurity measures last week, and said the parasite "probably originated away from the port". 

Mr La Feuvre said the AHIC is still unsure where the mite came from, but noted a number of high-risk local pathways, including the airport, RAAF base, and industrial area. 

Port of Newcastle dropped-off Plant Health Australia's (PHA) most recent list of high-risks ports, because it is a bulk handling port, not a container port.  

However, in response to the outbreak, the AHIC made a number of recommendations on improving port biosecurity measures across the board. 

New data indicates it's unlikely the varroa mite entered the Hunter through the Port of Newcastle.

Almond pollination full steam ahead as Hunter clamps down on varroa mite

BY DAKOTA TAIT

More than 80,000 beehives have been moved to the State's south-west to pollinate almonds, despite the looming threat of varroa mite in the Hunter.

The State Government is confident it has a handle on the situation with surveillance yet to detect the deadly pest in Griffith.

Keepers outside of the emergency zones can move their bees, as long as they have a permit and are alcohol washing their hives.

Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders says they're still looking into the origin of the outbreak.

"There's no definitive word on exactly where the varroa mite came from or how it got into Australia," he said. "Obviously we've picked it up in sentinel hives which are near the Port [of Newcastle]."

"There's also a bit of a theory around some of the other areas close by to the Newcastle port, and whether it got in there. During COVID, there have been a lot of ships docked off areas."

Earlier this week, the Department of Primary Industries announced it had euthanised all 99 infected hives across the Hunter and other affected regions.

It's hoped the successful movement of bee populations is a sign the outbreak has been contained. 

The hives are likely to move on to cherry, melon, citrus, and other fruit plantations in coming weeks.

Mr Saunders says it's important to get the industry back on track.

"One of out three mouthfuls of food we consume is due to the fact that we've got bees doing the work they do," he said. 

"People have been talking a lot about flooding causing increased prices of lettuce and things like that. Well, if you're not getting the food that you're used to getting because pollination's not occurring, guess what's going to happen? Supermarket prices and green grocer prices are going up across the board."

"Beekeepers like these guys know their hives intimately. They know if something's changing and we need them to continue be that frontline defence against any disease coming in."

Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders and Almond Board of Australia CEO Tim Jackson.

Varroa mite restrictions eased as bee euthanisation scaled back across the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Agriculture Minister has announced big changes for commercial beekeepers, allowing them to apply for permits to move their hives for the purpose of pollination and honey production.

The permit system will go live on Wednesday, but beekeepers will need to complete a short online course through Tocal College to be eligible.

Hives located inside the current emergency zones also can't be moved.

Highland Honey's Roger Easton at Fennell Bay says the Government is between a rock and a hard place.

"I don't think they're giving up," he said. "I think they've come to the realisation that pollination is extremely important."

"The almond industry is an $18 billion industry and half the bees for pollinating the almonds, which are down around Mildura, would be New South Wales bees."

It comes as the Department of Primary Industries says it's scaling back the euthanisation program of bees across the Hunter, arguing it will assess the situation to identify priorities.

Much of the Hunter is included in the eradication zones, where all bees must be destroyed.

It's prompted some concern among beekeepers, the Department has given up on containing and eradicating the mite, especially as the region nears warmer weather and bees swarm and travel longer distances.

Mr Easton says it's a tough call for the Government, but the focus should be on dealing with wild populations.

"If varroa gets into a feral bee colony, it won't kill that feral bee colony," he said. "Mother Nature's golden rule is that parasites do not kill their hosts, because if they kill their hosts, then that's going to kill them as well."

"If varroa gets into a feral bee colony, it will live in that feral colony and will try and infect as many hives around there as it possibly can."

Hunter beekeepers hopeful after $18 million compensation package announced

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter beekeepers are optimistic a new compensation package will keep the industry alive as New South Wales grapples with the varroa mite crisis.

Both commercial and amateur beekeepers are eligible for reimbursement in the State Government's new $18 million package, which will cover the costs of destroyed bees, hives, and equipment, as well as honey losses.

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council CEO Danny Le Feuvre says it's a welcome measure, but not the only approach.

"It's only one component of a much larger program that we're doing," he said. "We've got multiple different ways of supporting the industry."

"We're about to launch a public fundraising platform today through Hive Aid to try and also provide additional support to beekeepers.

"And it's not just financial - these beekeepers have had to destroy some of the things they've been working towards for a long time. It's not just financial support needed, it's also emotional and mental support that as an industry we're trying to provide."

Close to 1,700 hives have been destroyed in the emergency eradication zones since the start of the incursion. 

Most recently the mite has been detected at Denman, Heatherbrae, and Jerrys Plains, though an order allowing hives in flood-affected or at-risk areas has been extended by another seven days.

The Agriculture Minister is confident, describing it as an "unbroken chain of infected premises", with 38 properties in total now affected by the pest.

Mr Le Feuvre says the industry is also optimistic, but it's a "game of waiting and seeing".

"We're working really hard on tracing," he said. "There's a really big focus at the moment on tracing and surveillance to try to find the edge of the incursion."

"As we're doing more tracing, we're finding more detections, and that just shows that tracing's really working.

"But even though we are finding detections, we're going through thousands of hives that we're not finding any mite at all."

Newcastle varroa mite outbreak highlights national biosecurity concerns, farmers say

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The varroa mite outbreak at the Port of Newcastle has sparked concern, Australia's biosecurity systems aren't up to scratch.

NSW Farmers has raised the alarm on the possibility of more diseases breaching the country's border screening protocols.

The organisation's calling for the Government to undertake urgent reform of the biosecurity system.

Biosecurity Chair Ian McColl says it's deeply concerning.

"We've also had khapra beetle, we've had Japanese encephalitis affecting the pig industry," he said.

"Clearly the protocols that we have in place at the moment for our borders, aren't giving us the level of protection that we need as a community and as an industry."

"There's been a number of calls for reform over quite a long period of time, and I think this is just bringing home to us that the current system is not delivering what we need, and we need to reassess resourcing at our borders and at our ports."

Although the State Government has increased funding for biosecurity preparedness and response, NSW Farmers is calling for more investment in preventing the incursion of diseases, rather than a reactionary approach.

Mr McColl says livelihoods and industries are at risk

"There's no doubt that the recent incursions of foot-and-mouth disease in Indonesia have the potential to cost us $80 billion across the whole industry and the wider community," he said.

"The potential impact of that is really difficult to even get your head around those sorts of numbers."

Image credit: Port of Newcastle.

Varroa mite escapes the Hunter, new emergency zone at Calga property

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Varroa mite has extended its reach beyond the Hunter, with the parasite now identified in bees at a property at Calga on the Central Coast.

It's understood there is a direct link to a Newcastle site, and the Department of Primary Industries does not believe the affected bees moved naturally.

Nine properties across the state have now been affected, including at Newcastle, Seaham, and Bulahdelah.

All bees and hives within ten kilometres of each property will need to be destroyed.

New bee biosecurity zones in Seaham and Bulahdelah as varroa mite crisis worsens

BY DAKOTA TAIT

New biosecurity zones have been established for beekeepers, after varroa mite was detected at three more properties across Newcastle, Seaham, and Bulahdelah.

It means more hives will now need to be destroyed in the new eradication zones.

All colonies in a 50 kilometre radius of the new epicentres must be reported to the Department of Primary Industries, while those within 25 kilometres should keep an eye on their colonies for the pests.

The zone around the Port of Newcastle also remains in place.

No bees or hives can be moved at any location across New South Wales.

Image credit: Kate Washington MP.

Hunter beekeepers heartbroken amid emergency eradication order

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter beekeepers are facing a tough future, after a deadly parasite detected at the Port of Newcastle has led to emergency orders across the state.

The Department of Primary Industries has issued a statewide lockdown in response to the detection of varroa mite last week, meaning hives and bees cannot be moved anywhere across NSW.

A 50 kilometre biosecurity zone remains in force around the Port of Newcastle, but amateur and commercial beekeepers within a 10 kilometre will likely see their bee populations euthanised as a precaution.

Hunter Valley Amateur Beekeepers Association Vice-President David Vial says it's the right move, but local beekeepers are understandably devastated.

"Hundreds of beekeepers and thousands of hives," he said. "I'm at Williamtown, and I've got about 160 or 180 hives, so they'll all be euthanised.

"I know of a couple of commercial beekeepers in the area that have probably got roughly 3000 hives between them, plus all the other smaller beekeepers around the area."

"I've got a queen breeding program here at Williamtown, that I've been working on for the last five or six years. That's all going to be lost, so we've basically got to start again. We'll need new bee stock. From what I can hear, we can't have bees for the next six months."

Australia is the only major honey producer free of the pest, but no country has ever succeeded in containing the parasite.

90 percent of hived bees in New Zealand were wiped out when the parasite arrived across the ditch two years ago.

NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders says varroa mite could cost the local industry as much as $70 million a year if it wasn't quashed early, by affecting both the production of honey for food, and the pollination of plant species.

"The financial impact, through pollination - it's all going to be reduced," Mr Vial said.

"Your local vegetables aren't going to be pollinated like they were. We're already seeing food shortages in the supermarkets because of the floods, but this is just another impact that we weren't even expecting to happen."