Griffith beekeeper Steve Cunial says bee owners awaiting advice from DPI

A 10 kilometre eradication zone has been established in Nericon, north of Griffith, where honeybee hives will be euthanised.

A 15 kilometre surveillance zone beyond that has been established, taking in Griffith, Hanwood and Yenda, where officials are monitoring both managed and feral honeybees to limit the extent of the incursions.

In the nearby Euroley area, the ten kilometre red zone takes in parts of the Murrumbidgee Valley National Park, while the surveillance area includes much of the Leeton local government area.

"With almonds starting in early August, the bees were moved from a legal blue zone soon after the mite was discovered in the Kempsey area. At this stage it's unclear how it got to Kempsey," MIA beekeeper Steve Cunial said.

"It's understood there are as many as 50,000 hives in Nericon, Euroley and Euston areas.

"The arrival of Varroa mite has come at a time when almond pollination is ending and farmers will want those bees moved off to begin chemical applications.

"Others, like those growing canola, will need bees for pollination."

Mr Cunial said he anticipates and hopes meetings between the government and the industry will occur some time this week.

"From that, we should know whether the issue will transition to management, meaning eradication will stop, they will announce it as an endemic and will begin treating bees for Varroa mite. At the moment, that's considered a probable outcome," Mr Cunial said.

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"If Varroa mite becomes an endemic, there will be an increase in labour costs, costs around production will go up, and we would have to start using some form of treatment on hives. But nothing is certain at this stage until those meetings happen and we receive further advice.

"Traditionally, commercial beekeeping sees a loss of bees between five and ten per cent. In countries where the mite is established, it's a loss of between 30 and 40 per cent in some industries."

He stressed the importance of bee owners following DPI advice and requirements to ensure the best result for all.

"Anyone who has a bee hive needs to be registered with DPI," he said. "It's also extremely important bee keepers don't move their hives if they are in the red and purple zones."

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