After two years of living in a pandemic, Australians know terms such as locks, tracking and circuit breakers.
Key points:
- Varroa mite could affect 35 agricultural industries that depend on bee pollination
- In other countries, the parasite has caused a significant decline in bee populations
- The varroa mite detected in the port of Newcastle is more threatening than the species previously found in Queensland
But this time they are used to describe the response to varroa mite, a parasite that threatens the Australian beekeeping industry after it was found in Newcastle harbor last week and a nearby commercial beekeeper.
What is varroa mite?
Varroa mites are small reddish brown external parasites of honey bees.
They feed and reproduce mainly on larvae and pupae of honey bees (bees in transition between larvae and adults), leading to malformations.
They also transmit numerous viruses.
Australia was the last continent free of the parasite, with previous detections in Queensland and Victoria eradicated.
Varroa mites are small reddish brown external parasites of honey bees that can cause malformations. (Provided by: Alex Wild, University of Texas at Austin)
But Danny Le Feuvre, of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, said the mites detected in Queensland were a less endangered species normally associated with Asian bees.
The species found in Newcastle, the destructive Varroa, is attracted to European bees, which support the Australian commercial beekeeping industry.
“It’s a much more dangerous pest … and it’s definitely the varroa mite we don’t want,” Le Feurve said.
He said destructive Varroa poses no threat to native Australian bees.
Where has it been found?
A varroa mite was found last Wednesday in two of the six hives used to monitor biosafety in the port of Newcastle during a routine inspection.
Surveillance hives are being installed in Australian ports as an early warning system to detect exotic pests.
It is not yet clear where the varroa mite first detected comes from; if it was from a ship arriving at the port or if it was already in the country.
Beekeepers are asked to monitor hives for varroa mites and report sightings to NSW DPI.
Over the weekend more detections of varroa mites were detected in hives less than 10 miles from Newcastle harbor.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries was also investigating potentially contaminated hives outside the Newcastle region, even on a property near Trangie in north-west NSW.
Trangie hives were being investigated because they came from the Newcastle area, but no mites were detected.
What impact could it have?
A widespread outbreak of varroa mites would have a devastating effect on Australia’s agricultural industry.
Almonds, berries and apples are some of the 35 agricultural industries that depend on bee pollination.
Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said it was estimated that an outbreak of varroa mites could cost the industry $ 70 million a year.
“I’m certainly aware that buyers are experiencing very tough prices right now, not just in lettuce, but in most fruits and vegetables … that’s why we need to try to control it,” Watt said.
“The last thing we want to see is a kind of barrier to honey production, which would obviously have an effect on prices.
“But you know, a lot of honey is also exported and that would have an impact on employment.”
Blueberries are among the many crops that depend on bee pollination. (ABC Coffs Coast: Claudia Jambor)
In the United States, about 30% of commercial moths were lost after the varroa mite raid.
In New Zealand, 90 per cent of wild bee colonies disappeared because mites were out of control.
However, Mr. Le Feurve after the initial shock to the bee population, there were examples around the world of how beekeepers could live with mites.
“This will increase the cost of production for beekeepers, they will have to treat the hives and it will be a different way of managing the hives,” he said.
“It won’t completely destroy the industry.”
NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said discussions on financial support for beekeepers had already begun.
“I’m not sure what the numbers will be at the moment, but we will certainly work hard with industry leaders to make sure beekeepers … feel supported,” he said.
Stop the outbreak
A statewide emergency order has been issued to control the movement of bees across NSW and bees less than 10 miles from Newcastle harbor are being destroyed.
“It’s really a matter of getting beekeepers to stand still and put in a circuit breaker,” Le Feurve said.
“So we can get to where all the other bees are and do some tracking work to make sure we’ve studied and managed all of these hives.”
Beekeepers have been told to self-assess their hives and report to the NSW IPR.
The NSW DPI also went door to door in the Newcastle region to identify any wild gardens or hives.
Le Feurve said there were no detections during a campaign in April that encouraged beekeepers to monitor their hives for the plague, although turnout rose by about 70 percent from last year. .
What are the chances of it spreading?
The short answer is that it is too early to tell.
Commercial and wild bee populations move around the country on a regular basis and varroa mites can take a walk there, making containing the pest a challenge.
Mr. Le Feurve said a good coating was the time of year, with the winter season reduced bee movement.
However, the pollination periods of almond and cranberry are fast approaching.
It is hoped that the current stop order of the move will allow the industry to take the lead in the situation before these key pollination periods begin.
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Posted 1 h ago 1 hrsMonday, 27 June 2022 at 07:01, updated 1 h ago 1 hrsMonday, June 27, 2022 at 7:06 AM