Varroa incursion news
Varroa destructor mites have been detected at the Port of Newcastle in New South Wales and the incursion is now widespread across the state.
All beekeepers MUST comply with the latest Biosecurity (Varroa Mite) Emergency Order issued under the Biosecurity Act 2015.
Please check the NSW DPI website for the current regulations as they are changing regularly and fines may apply for breach of the rules.
New detection in the Coffs Harbour region has been traced to a movement of bees from the Newcastle area before the lockdown was implemented in June
No new mite detections outside the red zone for the past week
Surveillance of the notification (yellow) zone is almost complete
Work will now resume in the eradication (red) zone
No new mite detections
Permit system introduced to allow commercial beekeepers to move hives for critical pollination services in certain areas of NSW
One new detection at Wards River - increased surveillance and tracing work is now under way in the area
Hundreds of ABA members are providing data from their own hives, or are volunteering in the Hunter region.
Thank you all, and keep up the good work!
Compensation for recreational and commercial beekeepers
Flood movement permit extended
New rules on handling bees and extracting honey
Red (eradication) zone: beekeepers will be contacted about the euthanising of their bees
Purple (surveillance) zone: beekeepers will be contacted about the testing of their bees
Yellow (notification) zone: beekeepers are asked to test their own bees, and report all results
Whole of NSW: do NOT move or touch bees, unless to feed or test for mites
Report all honeybees acquired from within 50km of the Port of Newcastle (the red, purple and yellow emergency zones) in the past 12 months using the DPI’s online reporting form.
Report all honeybees located in the red, purple, or yellow emergency zones using the Beekeeper Notifications - Varroa mite online form
Check all honeybees in the red, purple or yellow zones for mites, and report both positive and negative results to the Hotline 1800 084 881 (9am to 5pm, 7 days a week)
Report all honeybees acquired from within 50km of the Port of Newcastle (the red, purple and yellow emergency zones) in the past 12 months using the DPI’s online reporting form.
Report all honeybees located in the red, purple, or yellow emergency zones using the Beekeeper Notifications - Varroa mite online form
Check all honeybees in the red, purple or yellow zones for mites, and report both positive and negative results to the Hotline 1800 084 881 (9am to 5pm, 7 days a week)
Anyone who has acquired honeybees (including queen bees, nucleus hives and hives with honeybees) from within 50km of the Port of Newcastle (the red, purple and yellow emergency zones) in the past 12 months is urged to report this to the DPI, to help eradicate the varroa mite from NSW.
Report these honeybees using the DPI’s online reporting form.
If you have bees within 50km of a confirmed infected premises (red, purple, or yellow zones on the map), you must notify the DPI of the location of the hives, by completing the Beekeeper Notifications - Varroa mite online form.
Biosecurity (Varroa Mite) Order No. 4 is now in effect.
You must not touch or move your hives unless to feed using an approved internal feeder, or to inspect for mites by one of these approved methods:
All beekeepers within the red, purple and yellow zones MUST notify all hive locations, preferably online by completing the Beekeeper Notifications - Varroa mite online form
