All Hawkesbury beekeepers ordered to notify DPI where their hives are as varroa mite concern grows

The Department of Primary Industries has for the first time included the Hawkesbury in the list of locations where beekeepers have to report the locations of all their hives, and it applies both to registered and unregistered beekeepers.

The move is a further response to the varroa mite which once inside beehives and infecting bees, eventually leads to the collapse of the bee colonies in those hives.

Here’s our first story, with all the background.

The varroa mite was initially found at Newcastle but has now spread further – to Bulahdelah and Calga in NSW.

No varroa mites have so far been detected in the Hawkesbury.

Acting Chief Plant Protection Officer, Chris Anderson, said the DPI had now established emergency zones around nine infested premises, including the new zone around a Calga property south of Newcastle which became effective on Thursday.

“DPI has put significant measures in place to arrest the spread of the threat and is being assisted by the apiary industry, Local Land Services (LLS), NSW Police, NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and the wider community,” he said.

“Since Varroa mite was first identified at the Port of Newcastle last week, NSW DPI has been working with apiary industry bodies and stakeholders to ensure beekeepers are informed and empowered to be part of this critical response.

“So far many of the infested premises have been located very close together so the emergency zones covered largely the same areas but recent detections at Bulahdelah and Calga have expanded the area covered,” said Mr Anderson.

One of the issues who worries registered beekeepers – those the DPI is aware of – are the numbers of unregistered beekeepers. Because of the threat form the varroa mite, the DPI has said there will be no repercussions for those who are unregistered, but they need to register immediately.

More information:

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/varroa

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