The Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) is taking action to protect Canberra’s bee community from the parasitic mites that have entered the country.
Announcing movement restrictions on honey bees, the Directorate said the Varroa destructor, a species of parasitic mite that attacks European honey bees, had recently been detected at the Port of Newcastle in NSW.
“Varroa mites are considered to be the greatest current threat to Australia’s honey and honey bee pollination plant industries,” EPSDD said.
“To protect the bee community in Canberra and the surrounds, the movement of honey bees and used honey bee hives and equipment into the ACT will be restricted,” it said.
“These restrictions apply to any bees and beehives that have been in NSW at any time within the last six months, including bees and hives which have moved to other jurisdictions in this time.”
EPSDD said the restrictions were also being imposed in other States and the Northern Territory.
It said that while there had been no detections of the mites in the ACT, the restrictions were necessary to control the outbreak and minimise the risk to the Territory.
“Restrictions will remain in place as long as is deemed necessary, until the outbreak is controlled and is no longer considered to be a threat,” the Directorate said.
“New hives, or hives that have never been exposed to or had contact with bees, will not be affected by these new restrictions.”
