Varroa mite might nonetheless be in SA regardless of removing of contaminated hives, PIRSA says

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) says varroa mite might nonetheless be in South Australia regardless of the removing of all identified affected beehives from the state.

The hives linked to the state’s first detection of the pest within the Riverland have been on consignment from Western Australia and Queensland.

They have been handled and transported to New South Wales.

PIRSA’s varroa mite response group program supervisor Adrian Harvey stated the hives on the contaminated website had been eliminated however there was an opportunity the pest was nonetheless current.

He stated PIRSA was enterprise additional monitoring and testing to make sure the pest had not reached the feral European honey bee inhabitants.

“We’re also doing bee baiting to reduce those forager bees around the area,” Mr Harvey stated.

Beekeepers struggling

Beekeepers and producers have been invited to attend a neighborhood assembly performed by PIRSA on the Loxton Research Centre on Thursday night time to obtain an replace on the most recent varroa mite info.

Chris Berkin, who was on the assembly, stated it was vital that beekeepers supported each other.

“There’s no way that one beekeeper can stand out on their own now — the industry has to come together to deal with this,” he stated.

“People have got to treat the bees as livestock … and they’ve got to realise that if [beekeepers] aren’t around, then people won’t get cabbages on their plates.

“It’s scary that you have to take it every day because it comes and it might get to the purpose the place you have simply obtained to stroll away.”

Mr Berkin said he was usually contracted to produce seven tonnes of honey for Capilano Honey annually, but due to the drought conditions and changing weather patterns he was only able to produce 500 kilograms in 2024.

He said tough weather conditions and the threat of varroa mite was impacting the mental health of many in the industry.

“I do know of sufficient [people] which have determined to finish their life,” he stated.

Fighting for the long run

Funding for varroa growth officers (VDOs) in SA below the National Varroa Mite Management program is set to end in February 2026, in line with the Australian Honey Bee Council.

VDOs have been launched to work with the beekeeping trade and provide recommendation on preparation methods, monitoring, schooling, hive administration and biosecurity measures.

Meningie-based beekeeper Aaron Woolston said stakeholders had to do their part to safeguard the industry’s future.

“We actually need one thing long-term and everlasting to assist not simply the beekeeping trade, however all of the related pollination-dependent industries,” he stated.

“The beekeeping trade in South Australia has been under-resourced for a few years.

“This is just the latest threat in a long list of threats and challenges to the beekeeping industry, so we really need permanent and extra resourcing.”

The federal authorities stated the Varroa Mite Transition to Management (T2M) Plan was designed to handle these considerations, butdeclined to touch upon whether or not funding for VDOs can be prolonged.

“The Commonwealth is continuing to support national biosecurity capability development and continues to support national biosecurity programs such as the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program and National Bee Biosecurity Program,” an agriculture division spokesperson stated.

Adrian Harvey stated beekeepers ought to guarantee they have been registered with PIRSA to obtain biosecurity notices within the meantime.

“We urge all unregistered beekeepers to register and get the advice as soon as we provide it on detections and other biosecurity issues,” he stated.