The destruction of hundreds of hives in Newcastle and parts of New South Wales is underway as authorities work to control the spread of a deadly parasite.
Key points:
- Authorities have begun eradicating bee hives around the varroa mite detection site in Newcastle
- The Department of Primary Industries destroyed 120 moths in Trangie yesterday, with another 300 to be destroyed in Newcastle
- Farmers fear the situation will affect the pollination season of many horticultural crops
Detection of the destroyer Varroa, commonly called varroa mite, in the port of Newcastle last week triggered a 10-kilometer eradication zone and stopped all bee movements across the state.
The Department of Primary Industries and Local Services of the Territory has so far allocated 300 hives in the area to be destroyed in the coming days.
“So far, around the Newcastle area, there have been six sentinel moths and three private moths that have been destroyed and will continue for the next day or so,” said NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders.
One hundred and twenty moths were also destroyed in Trangie yesterday after government contacts found that a commercial beekeeper near the port had recently sent some of his hives to the region.
Dugald Saunders says 120 moths have been destroyed in Trangie, midwestern NSW. (ABC News)
“While no real mite was detected in Trangie’s moths, given that they were on the same property, the decision was also made to destroy them,” Saunders said.
He said research is being done to identify other possible movements that may have spread the parasite.
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“What we’re really doing now is a lot of research work to see where other hives have traveled.
“If you’re a recreational beekeeper or a commercial beekeeper, we really want you to approach and talk to the DPI and report the locations where you have hives.”
Devastated beekeepers
Peter King runs a 130-year-old beekeeping supply business in Cardiff and says a new sense of optimism in the sector has been ruined.
“When COVID took off, people got into it [beekeeping] and we’ve been like that for the last two years, ”he said.
“Only now have things started to slow down again and we’re devastated by that.”
Kurri Kurri beekeeper Col Wilson said the idea of destroying the hives was devastating.
“If you have cattle and bees are cattle, they’re kind of pet and you don’t like to lose them, it has a real effect on people,” he said.
“If you like honey, go out and buy it while it’s there, available.”
Beekeeping is growing in popularity in the suburbs thanks to confinements due to COVID-19. (ABC News: James Carmody)
Concerned farmers
Commercial blueberry farmer Vik Momi said the orders meant she could no longer move the bees she currently owns her Glenreagh property to the crops that needed them.
“The plants will start flowering soon and we will have to move them to summer planting,” he said.
“[My beekeeper] says according to NSW guidelines he cannot move them, he is only allowed to move them no more than 3 meters “.
Momi said she relied on bees to pollinate her crop and make sure her fruit meets consumer standards.
“It’s very important for everything, pollination improves the quality of the fruit,” he said.
“They make them juicier, bigger and tastier.
“Without bee pollination, we won’t have enough good berries.”
A widespread outbreak of varroa mites could endanger the $ 1.4 billion berry industry. (ABC Coffs Coast: Claudia Jambor)
The effects of a widespread varroa mite outbreak or a major stop in bee movement will affect more than blueberries.
Almonds, apples and cherries are some of the 35 agricultural industries that depend on bee pollination.
The ABC has contacted several bodies in the fruit and vegetable industry, many of whom have said it could be a few weeks before the impact on product prices is known.
With an unknown end date for movement restrictions, producers say it’s hard to speculate on price increases.
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Posted 2 hours, 2 hours ago, Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at 4:25 AM, updated 1 min ago, 1 minute ago, Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at 6:48 AM