AHBIC is actively involved with the response and wants to see the industry become more involved by sending beekeepers to Townsville to assist in the response. It is crucial that the industry is seen as being proactive at this early stage.
Apis cerana and Varroa jacobsoni in Townsville - No.6
I would advise that on Friday 5 August, 2016 a swarm of around 1,000 Asian bees was found at
Hyde Park in Townsville. This is about halfway between 1IP and 2IP. It was reported by a
member of the public.
Subsequent examination has found no Varroa jacobsoni on the bees so because V. jacobsoni is the Emergency Plant Pest, this new site is not an Infected Premises but is classed as a Premise of Relevance and will be 3POR.
As part of the surveillance the Birdlife Townsville group are collecting the regurgitated pellets from under rainbow bee-eater (Merops ornatus) roosts. The rainbow bee-eaters, as the name suggests, eat bees. When they come back to roost in a tree at night they regurgitate a hard pellet which contains parts that cannot be digested. The wings of bees are in this pellet and the wings of Apis cerana and A. mellifera can be distinguished by examining the veins in the wing. To date no cerana wings have been found. These roosts are about 3 kilometres from 3POR and would indicate that the number of cerana nests are low which is a good sign.
Surveillance around 3POR has found foraging cerana within 300 metres. Feeding stations will be
set up and bee lining commenced to find this nest.
Trevor Weatherhead
Executive Director
9 August, 2016
Update: varroa mites found in Annandale Asian honey bee hive
Laboratory examinations of an Asian honey bee hive found at Annandale [QLD] this week have confirmed the presence of varroa mites.
Biosecurity Queensland’s Dr Ashley Bunce, Director, Varroa Mite Response said initial examinations found no mites on the bees, but a single mite had today been identified within the comb taken from the hive.
“The hive was in a residential yard about nine kilometres from where the previous hive was found at the Port of Townsville,” he said.
“As a result of this confirmation, we are now increasing our surveillance activities in and around the Annandale area.
“By the end of this week, we expect that laboratory testing will confirm whether there are any more mites and if the Asian honey bees found at Annandale are related to the original hive found at the Port of Townsville.
“We continue to urge local residents to check their yards and let us know if they see any bee activity.”
Dr Bunce said the current varroa mite response was initiated after a feral Asian honey bee hive was found last month at the Port of Townsville.
“Those bees were carrying a small number of varroa mites which present a real threat to the honey bee industry and plant industries that rely on bees for pollination,” he said.
“While these mites are not the more serious Varroa destructor, we are taking this incident very seriously and putting every effort into ensuring they are eradicated.
“There are currently restrictions on the movement of bees, bee hives, bee products (excluding honey), and used bee keeping equipment from the Townsville area to prevent any possible spread of the mite.”
If you know of feral bee hives in the Townsville area, or see Asian honey bees or suspect your bees have been affected, call the Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.
Information about bee biosecurity, hive care, and photos that will help you identify varroa mite, are available at www.beeaware.org.au
For information on Asian honey bees visit www.daf.qld.gov.au
Follow Biosecurity Queensland on Facebook and Twitter (@BiosecurityQld).
Media contact: Mark Hodder, 3087 8598
Apis cerana and Varroa jacobsoni in Townsville - No.4
An update has been received to say that a varroa mite was found in the comb of the Asian bee nest at Annandale. This now becomes IP2.
This find is not surprising.
Surveillance is now being carried out in the Annandale area around where this nest was found.
Trevor Weatherhead
Executive Director, Australian Honey Bee Industry Council
20 July, 2016
Apis cerana and Varroa jacobsoni in Townsville - No.3
On Sunday 17 July 2016, a nest of Asian bees, Apis cerana, were found in a bird box at a residence in Annandale, Townsville. This is the second find in Townsville following the original find on 27 June.
Examination of the bees has found no Varroa jacobsoni and the comb is still being examined.
This find is around 9 kilometres from the original find at the port of Townsville.
A Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) formed to advise the Consultative Committee on Emergency
Plant Pests (CCEPP) has met and, while the deliberations are confidential, at this stage I can report that it was a positive meeting.
Further information as it is approved for release.
Trevor Weatherhead
Executive Director, Australian Honey Bee Industry Council Inc
20 July, 2016
