Biosecurity (Varroa Mite) Order No.14 is now in effect in NSW

The current situation

Surveillance work in the notification (yellow) zone is almost complete, and there have been no new detections outside the eradication (red) zone for the past week.

This surveillance exercise has been all about defining the edges of the area affected by varroa. Now that there is a high level of confidence that varroa is contained in the are surrounded by the notification (yellow) zones marked on the map, the focus will switch back to the red zone.

The Response Teams will now return to euthanising known infected hives, and will start more intensive surveillance in the red zone. It is expected that this will result in more detections inside the red zone.

As we are still awaiting the details of the owner compensation plan, any euthanised hives will be sealed but not destroyed at this time. It’s important that you do not interfere with any hive which has been sealed until authorised to do so.

We need you!

As we move into this next phase of the emergency response, we need even more volunteers to assist with essential field work. If you are an ABA member (or a member of any other AHBIC member body) and are willing to help, look out for an email with details about volunteering.

Moving bees

For the eradication program to be successful, it is vital to eliminate the spread of varroa. For this reason you still must not move hives or bees anywhere in NSW, unless you are a commercial beekeeper and have been issued with a Biosecurity Emergency Movement Permit.

Swarms

Under the current Order, swarms cannot be caught in the red zone, and cannot be moved in any other zone.

If you are aware of a swarm in the red, purple or yellow zones please report it using the online form at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/hives or call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline 1800 084 881.

If there is any danger to public safety please call 000 immediately.

Handling bees and extracting honey

If you are in the red (eradication) zone, you must not or disturb, interfere with or feed bees, including by removing honey or honey comb from a hive. The only exception is if you are directed to do so by an authorised officer, or to inspect for mites by one of these approved methods: sugar shake test, alcohol wash or brood uncapping.

Remember to report all results (negative or positive) to the Hotline on 1800 084 881. All the negative results found so far form a ring around the red zone, and are vital to the epidemiologists’ understanding of the spread of the varroa mite.

If you are outside the red (eradication) zone, you are now allowed to work your bees as long as the hives are not moved from their current location. You may also extract honey, but please be aware there are strict rules which you must follow. Please refer to Moving of honey supers and extraction of honey in the current Biosecurity Order for details.

Where are your hives?

Find out which zone your hives are in by entering the address in the search box on the interactive map.

If your hives are located in the red (eradication), purple (surveillance) or yellow (notification) zones, you MUST report the location of your hives to the DPI via the Beekeeper Notifications - Varroa mite online form. You can also use this form to report feral hives in the red, purple or yellow zones.

Important information for beekeepers in the yellow (notification) zone

Surveillance work is almost complete in the yellow zone. If you have hives in the yellow zone, but have not yet been visited by a response team, please call the Hotline on 1800 084 881 to report the location of your hives.

Report bees moved from the Newcastle region in the past year

Regardless of where you live, if you have acquired honeybees (including queen bees, nucleus hives and hives with honeybees) from within 50km of the Port of Newcastle (the red, purple and yellow emergency zones) in the past 12 months, please report this to the DPI, to help us detect and eradicate the varroa mite.

Report these honeybees using the DPI’s online reporting form.

You are not alone

These are distressing times for all beekeepers, but for those in the red zone most of all.

Please be sensitive to your fellow club members’ suffering and be kind to each other.

Support for beekeepers

There are free and confidential support services available to beekeepers during this difficult time.

Accessing small business and mental health and well-being support early is encouraged. The services listed below are open to all beekeepers: large or small, urban or rural. The friendly staff understand the situation and can connect you with the help you need.

• Business owners can contact the Rural Financial Counselling Service for advice and support to review their financial situation and assist with future planning. Call Badar Musad on 0439 956 165.

• The Rural Financial Counselling Service will support all beekeepers and will connect you with suitable services depending on your situation.

• The Rural Financial Counselling Service can assist with assessing eligibility of beekeepers to the Farm Household Allowance.

• Business owners are encouraged to speak with their banking institution and/or lenders to discuss their situation and develop a plan together.

• The Rural Adversity Mental Health Program is available to support beekeepers who would like to chat about their situation, and they can refer you to other services. Call Matthew Milne on 0437 989 044.

• Beekeepers in the Central Coast region can call Lauren Shields, a social worker with the Central Coast Local Health District on 0428 250 610 to discuss mental health and wellbeing.

• You can call the NSW Mental Health Line for yourself, or if you are concerned about someone. This line is open 24 hours, 7 days a week on 1800 011 511.

• Charitable assistance is available to support households with items such as food and groceries, household items and household bill support. Charities such as Rural Aid will provide support to commercial beekeepers.

Sheila Stokes, assisted by Linda Winn, is the ABA’s Industry Liaison Officer at the Local Control Centre in Maitland.

If you are interested in understanding how the Emergency Response is organised, you will find a wealth of information on the Plant Health Australia website.

Have a specific query? Contact us on beehelp@beekeepers.asn.au