At time of writing there was no known incursion of the Varroa mite into Queensland.
To support the eradication initiative, the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) has implemented a Movement Control Order to restrict the movement of bees and bee hives from New South Wales into Queensland to keep Varroa destructor (varroa mite) out of the state. Restrictions include the movement of bees, bee hives, bee products (excluding honey) and used bee keeping equipment.
Bees, hives, bee products and equipment can continue to be moved within Queensland. In New South Wales, there is a state-wide standstill of all bees, hives, apiary equipment and untreated bee products.
If you have inspected hives based in Queensland and believe to have found varroa, you are required to immediately report the finding or suspected finding to DAF via their customer service centre on 13 23 25.
It would also be advisable to complete the online report for detection of the pest at LINK.
If you need to register as a beekeeper as well as your sites and hive numbers - click here to be taken to the DAF biosecurity portal.
If you are a member of the concerned public there are a number of ways you can assist the beekeeping sector by understanding the following:
- Varrroa does not affect native Australian bees and therefore these hives are not of concern to Biosecurity QLD for this matter.
- Report any feral/wild hives to DAF via the customer service centre. This includes ALL hives/colonies that are either in trees, walls, cavities of structures, trees, abandoned objects or you believe live within disused or abandoned beekeeping equipment.
- The owner of the beehive is identified by a number on the face of the hive for example, X1233. This number assists authorities to locate the beekeeper and can be quoted when talking to a DAF service representative.
Should you have questions, you can comment below.
Source: QBA website, DAF website.
