BEEKEEPERS, both recreational and commercial, are sensing a return to normality as their diligence to the Varroa mite infection emergency protocols and the DPI’s surveillance are paying off.

Locally the 50km yellow Varroa mite notification zone, located outside the emergency surveillance and eradication zone, has been dropped which will give commercial beekeepers in the Coffs Harbour biosecurity zone some more flexibility with bee movements and management in general.

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“Since the discovery of Varroa mites at Bucca on 24 July volunteer beekeepers and DPI staff have worked together to inspect several thousand hives,” Mid North Coast beekeeper Glenn Locke told News Of The Area.

“No mites have been detected in the red or purple zones and no hives have been destroyed apart from the hives at the original infected premises.

“Every site is treated as if it is infected.

“We put on PPE prior to going into a site and follow a strict decontamination process when we leave so that mites are not potentially spread from site to site via the sampling process.”

The beekeepers open the hive and locate the queen so that she doesn’t get put into the alcohol wash which kills the 200 – 300 bees that go in.

Another person shakes the bees for four minutes and an authorised officer (DPI) checks the alcohol that the bees were washed in for any mites.

“This is a generic process used in all biosecurity settings,” said Glenn.

Although there have been changes to the notification zone, the existing rules remain in place for the 10km red eradication zones and the 25km purple surveillance zones.

Registered commercial and recreational beekeepers impacted by Varroa mite in the eradication zone can access reimbursement payments under the agreed National Response Plan.

Recreational, hobbyist beekeepers will receive a $550 payment for each hive destroyed, or $200 for those who wish to keep their hive ware, which will cover the cost of the euthanised bees.

A $200 reimbursement will also be given for each single recreational nucleus hive that is euthanised, regardless of whether the hive ware is kept.

Glenn added, “In general terms, I think the compensation package for recreational beekeepers is OK.

“Beekeepers have the option to keep their boxes, honey, honey frames, lids and bottom boards and it’s the bees and frames in the brood box that are destroyed.

“The $200 offered is a bit less than the going rate for a nucleus hive at the moment however it is what it is.

“The offer for commercial beekeepers is a little more complicated and I would advise individual beekeepers to consult with the DPI and their accountant or Rural Financial Councillors to work out the actual value of their losses.”

For details on commercial compensation visit www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Honey-bee-evidence-framework.pdf

For more information and the latest updates visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/varroa.

“I am unsure what the long-term strategy is however I am hopeful that some sort of normality can be restored sooner rather than later,” closed Mr Locke.

By Andrea FERRARI