Varroa Mite Management Workshops

AHBIC encourages beekeepers to make some time to attend a National Varroa Mite Management Program workshop near you. https://ticketing.humanitix.com/tours/varroa-management-training

As several new contracted trainers are now ready to begin, several beekeeper workshop events have been added to the calendar in both NSW and South Australia. A snapshot below.

NSW:

• Tweed Heads
  • Commercial Friday 12^th Jully
  • Recreational Saturday 13^th July
• Maclean
  • Recreational Sunday 14^th July
  • Commercial Monday 15 July
• Goulburn
  • Commercial Friday 19^th July
  • Recreational Saturday 20^th July

South Australia:

• Clare – Saturday 20^th July
• Berri – Saturday 27^th July

Adelaide – Saturday 3^rd August

Varroa Mite Train the Trainer – Victoria

On 26^th & 27^th June in Attwood, Victoria, the National T2M Program education team hosted delegates from several jurisdictions at the second of three train the trainer events. This most recent event, to develop the capacity of contracted trainers to deliver varroa management education, incorporated several contract trainers from South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria along with state apiary teams and the newly appointed Victorian Varroa Development Officer Team.

It was also a key event to introduce Dr Nadine Chapman, as the National Education Coordinator under the T2M Program. Welcome Nadine, we look forward to your coordination of the remaining varroa management workshop events across Australia.

Webinar 3

National Transition to Management 2 July 2024

Another successful online Webinar was hosted by AHBIC and the National T2M Program team on 2 July, delivering an engaging presentation from Dr Madlen Kratz on Varroa Biology followed by a live Q&A. Jump in and watch the recording if you missed it, there were some great details from Dr Kratz with some really engaging audience questions.

• T2M Overview: Tamara Prentice, National T2M Coordinator NSW DPI
• Varroa Biology 101: Dr Madlen Kratz, NSW DPI Honey Bee Industry Development Officer

Click the image to watch the webinar:

 

Varroa Development Officer Updates

New South Wales

NSW VDO’s are reaching considerable numbers of beekeepers with a combination of recreational and commercially registered beekeeper interactions so far in excess of 500 people. Recent engaging fieldwork in the Nowra area included some very new reports of varroa presence, and surprisingly heavy infestations and hive losses. VDO’s in NSW have reportedly received lots of calls from concerned beekeepers and assisted with sampling in and around these newer areas.

Victoria

Victorian VDO’s and their coordinator have been inducted into the T2M program and are active. Detail for Vic VDO’s will be circulated through Agriculture Victoria’s direct emails to registered beekeepers and feature in AHBIC’s next industry update. The focus initially is to connect with clubs and association branches in Vic as well as network at training events as they are added to the calendar.

The VDO opportunities are progressing in Tasmania, having interviews completed and South Australia with applications now closed. VDO roles are still open in Queensland with interested beekeepers reminded to apply: 6 x Varroa Development Officers (Bee Biosecurity) Job in Brisbane QLD – SEEK

Reach out to the VDO’s to organise an engagement activity on 1800 084 881.

Other T2M Activities

Beekeeping Code of Practice

AHBIC has progressed contract consultation and work on both the CoP and Beekeeping Biosecurity Manual Updates, it is anticipated this will begin with wide consultation in the coming months.

National Heat Map

A feasibility report for the national heat mapping of varroa has ben completed and will be presented at the next National Management Group meeting in July. It has put forward the process for all states and territories to provide submitted monitoring reports from across Australia to a centralised map. All the features of the current NSW map are anticipated to be included in the National version. Red/Orange representing positive reports and Blue representing negative reports, along with the ability to specify search dates within the map.

The current heat map has had an update 4^th July 2024 and shows detections outside the main spread regions. Bega and Nowra areas being supported by VDO’s in the area. AHBIC encourages beekeepers in NSW especially to regularly check the heat map and be sure to keep up to date with your monitoring for varroa.

You can reach out to AHBIC via:

National Varroa Mite Coordinator 

Bianca Giggins

0402 467 780

bianca@honeybee.org.au

AHBIC, its employees, executive and consultants expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person in respect of anything, and the consequences of anything, done or omitted to be done in reliance, whether wholly, partly, upon the whole or any part of the contents of this industry update document.