The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have raided several properties across three states as part of an investigation into the arrival of the deadly varroa mite in Australia, according to the bee industry.
The varroa mite has attacked honeybees in Australia since 2022, posing a significant threat to the insect and the nation’s honey.
In September 2023, the Australian honey bee industry changed from attempting to eradicate the mite to managing it after the pest spread to hundreds of sites in NSW, making eradication impossible.
The Australian Honeybee Industry Council (AHIC) said authorities targeted properties in southern Queensland, northern NSW, and Tasmania in recent months as part of a federal investigation led by the agriculture department into how the mite landed down under.
AHIC CEO Danny Le Feuvre reported six raids along the eastern seaboard.
“The industry is strongly demanding answers around this,” he said.
Program Engages Backyard Beekeepers to Combat Varroa Mite
The Epoch Times contacted AHIC, which declined to provide further details of the raids. However, the department recently announced a similar pilot program between New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), involving collecting information from backyard beekeepers using trial technology with environmental DNA.The bee technology “swab and sensor” tests will detect the presence of the varroa mite in beehives without hurting the bees.
“The ACT pilot will help us confirm whether the region continues to be free from varroa mite and help prepare the community for future spread to the region,” Biosecurity Secretary Bronwen Jaggers said.
She said the pilot’s technology could offer a relatively low-cost approach to slowing the spread of this destructive pest.
“It’s a way that citizen scientists can help protect our valuable pollination services and agricultural industries.”
Around 30 local backyard beekeepers or hobbyists in the ACT region are expected to take part.
The pilots are part of a broader CSIRO program, the Australian National Science Agency, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, involving a $55 million investment to strengthen biosecurity defences.
The system aims to boost Australia’s biosecurity, which has come under threat in recent years with the arrival of the varroa mite.
The system, trialled for a year, will alert government agencies and stakeholders instantly when a threat is detected.
If the varroa mite is detected, beekeepers can report instances of the deadly mite, and the information will be promptly sent to concerned stakeholders.
The initiative will see AI, machine learning, drones, and advanced biology gather information for biosecurity alerts.
“If someone had that varroa mite on their list we would have pinged them in an email alert,” Erin Roger from the Atlas of Living Australia said.
Alarm Over Varroa Mite Disappearance
Yet, Mr. Feuvre expressed concern at the major agricultural conference that the arrival of the varroa mite has significantly impacted the honeybee industry, and is expected to lead to the disappearance of most feral bees from the landscape.“We can expect in our industry to also see a large number of beekeepers leave,” he explained, highlighting the numerous beekeeping businesses currently up for sale and the prevalent anxiety among beekeepers.
The conference was told that a decrease in feral bee populations would also affect the apple industry, as some producers need them for pollination.
“We think that that will impact our growers, and the growers that have previously enjoyed free pollination will then have to look for paid pollination services,” Mr. Feuvre said.
The arrival of the varroa mite led to a 15-month eradication program in NSW, during which 47,000 hives, or ten percent of the NSW bee population, were destroyed.
The problem may have begun with illegally importing live bees, but the insects could also have travelled on cargo.
The focus now is on slowing the mites’ spread and supporting beekeepers in maintaining healthy hives.
Healthy hives are possible due to the Varroa mite mainly feeding on and reproducing on bee larvae and pupae, leading to malformation and weakening of honeybees and transmitting viruses, although it doesn’t directly cause their death.
