Additional Varroa Confirmed

Varroa mites have been detected in hives at additional sites in the Limestone Coast and upper Fleurieu Peninsula since a detection at Salt Creek last week.

One of these new confirmed apiaries, linked to the Salt Lake apiary is located further south of the Limestone Coast at Taratap. Another new location confirmed positive is at Sellicks Hill in the upper Fleurieu Peninsula.

PIRSA have confirmed that both apiaries managed by different beekeepers are linked through both having operated on the same property at Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills. It is important to note that varroa mite has not been detected at Gumeracha but may potentially be within the feral/unmanaged bee population in this area.

Ongoing PIRSA Surveillance

PIRSA is working with all affected beekeepers to undertake tracing and where required, additional surveillance will be undertaken to establish the extent of the incursion.

To date, a source for these incursions in the Salt Creek, Taratap and Sellicks Hill areas is not known at this stage.

To allow for a thorough assessment of this latest detection, surveillance using sticky mats and acaricides are being deployed by PIRSA staff across all potentially impacted hives. The enforced euthanasia of hives will not be undertaken by PIRSA, this is in line with the Transition to Management. Support is being given to beekeepers to manage their hives impacted by varroa mite consistent with National and State transition to management plans.

South Australian Beekeepers

All South Australian beekeepers are urged to:

• Inspect their hives regularly using alcohol wash soapy water wash techniques.
• Report any suspected detections immediately to PIRSA via the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
• Ensure hives are registered with PIRSA so you can receive up-to-date biosecurity notices and guidance.

Any beekeepers who currently have had, hives within 25km of Salt Creek, Taratap, Sellicks Hill or Gumeracha since mid-August or intend to keep hives in these areas, are requested to shorten their varroa surveillance intervals to every 3-4 weeks.

Varroa Development Officers – how can they support you?

VDOs are available to offer free support with varroa monitoring, education and hive management information through a variety of avenues including one to one contact via phone, email or face to face, through attendance at small group and association meetings, delivery of short information sessions or larger group workshops.
This is a stressful time for beekeepers across the industry, and we remind beekeepers that there is support and help if you need it. In South Australia the following contacts for PIRSA and services are available to beekeepers.

Name	Phone	Email
Coordinator: Rahul Shankar	0408 612 856	Rahul.Shankar@sa.gov.au
Josh D’Ambrosio	0477 960 435	joshua.d’ambrosio@sa.gov.au
Aaron Woolston	0436 288 493	aaron.woolston@sa.gov.au
Davide Stella	0408 244 091	davide.stella@sa.gov.au
PIRSA Apiary Unit		pirsa.beebiosecurity@sa.gov.au
Exotic Pest Hotline – Freecall	1800 084 881

Mental health and financial support are available 

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Rural Aid (Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm): 1300 175 594

Rural Financial Counselling Services

Beekeepers: All States & Territories: Check your Hives!!  

AHBIC reminds beekeepers across South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania that it is more important than ever to conduct surveillance on colonies in your care. With current conditions, checking hives for presence of varroa using one of the preferred methods is essential.  In those states free of varroa, if you suspect you have found mites then ring the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline 1800 084 881.

 

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You can reach out to AHBIC via:

Varroa 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.