Varroa mite: New NSW detections yet to halt interstate bee movement

There have been a number of new detections of a deadly bee pest on NSW’s Central Coast and Hunter regions.

A swath of new detections of a deadly bee pest will not jeopardise the movement of bees from NSW into Victoria.

Nine new detections of varroa mite have been identified in NSW in the past week.

The new infested properties are at Glen William, Brookfield, Loxford, Sawyers Gully, Yarramalong, Woy Woy, Koolewong, Umina Beach and Horsfield Bay, all in the Hunter and Central Coast regions.

The detections were made during routine surveillance conducted by the NSW’s Department of Primary Industries and come two months after a national decision was made that the state was varroa mite-free. The caveat at the time was that “surveillance zones” spanning a 25km radius around an infected premise were exempt from the declaration.

Hives being examined for varroa mite near Paterson on the NSW Central Coast. Picture: Nick Cubbin

All detections were however within existing surveillance zones.

An Agriculture Victoria spokeswoman said the state was collaborating with NSW to ensure the movement of hives from the blue zone can continue.

“While tracing of new varroa mite detections in NSW is being finalised, issuing of permits for Victorian beekeepers who have hives in New South Wales will proceed on a case-by-case basis,” she said.

The department is not aware of any movement of hives from or near these infected properties into the state.

A NSW PDI spokeswoman said all managed beehives and equipment on the infested properties would be euthanised.

“Treatment of wild bee populations in the Central Coast, with the agreement of land managers in the community, will be prioritised to prevent further southward spread of varroa mite,” the spokeswoman said.

Victorian Apiarists’ Association president John van Wheeghel said most Victorian beekeepers were content with the movement of hives across the border from NSW “blue zones”, but if a varroa mite detention was made outside of the surveillance zones, that could change.

“In the next 12 months to two years we’ll see whether we get on top of it or keep finding new outbreaks,” Mr van Wheeghel said.

“It’s a matter of everyone doing the right thing. We know that sometimes people do things in desperation, but on the whole they try to do the right thing.”