IIT has been several months since a beekeeper in the Macleay Valley discovered varroa mites during a routine alcohol wash of his bees.

This would mark the beginning of a varroa crisis for beekeepers in the Kempsey region, with the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) eventually declaring the transition from eradication to management of the varroa mite in NSW as of 19 September 2023.

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The varroa mite, a tiny insect which attaches to bees has, for many years, been a pest in other countries such as the USA and Canada.

In June of 2022 the mite was detected around the Port of Newcastle and the NSW Department of Primary Industries began its fight to eradicate the pests.

Bees in the declared red zones of NSW (One to three kilometres from where mites had been discovered) were euthanised either by the DPI or by keepers themselves.

“With the Kempsey discovery, more than 20 percent of the NSW industry was affected and eradication as a strategy became untenable,” Kempsey beekeeper Darryl Brenton explained.

While many hoped this policy could eradicate the mite it was a heart-breaking and livelihood threatening policy for many experienced and invested beekeepers who found themselves in these zones.

Looking forward, many beekeepers fear the mite’s introduction will drive costs to beekeepers up and make apiculture in Australia unviable.

“All the extra measures and checks we have to do take time and nobody pays us extra for our time,” Darryl said.

He found mites in some of his hives and although one apiary was euthanised, others were clean.

Rather than take on the extra work for hives in the Kempsey region, he voluntarily surrendered most of them to concentrate on his other hives outside the declared Management Emergency Zone.

According to a Varroa Emergency Response hotline, current procedure is that beekeepers are expected to notify the DPI when mites are discovered and perform a test to determine the percentage of mites in their hives.

Once this is communicated to the DPI a decision will be made on exactly how to assist beekeepers to suppress the mites.

Monica Rich, Secretary of the Mid North Coast Amateur Beekeepers Association also fears for the industry.
“Screening for mites is time-consuming and is recommended to be carried out every sixteen weeks.

“If mites are found, measures such as miticide strips contain pesticides which come with their own challenges.”

She wonders whether the industry in Australia can survive the increased costs and complications the varroa mite brings.

In New Zealand, beekeepers and the industry in general have been dealing with the mites since they were first discovered in 2000.

According to figures listed on the NZ Ministry for Primary Industries website, the industry has fully recovered after an initial period of adjustment and in 2022 honey export volumes had grown to $449 million, up from around $100 million in 2010 and $300 million in 2016.

“It’s early days still,” said Monica, “the information changes regularly so we will just have to wait and see how it goes.”

By Ned COWIE