Varroa mite biosecurity alert for apiarists within 50km of port of Newcastle

[gary]

ABC reports a short while ago "Varroa mite detection at Port of Newcastle threatens Australia's bee industry".




Story here :-
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-06-24/varroa-mite-detected-at-newcastle-port/101180446

[Sunfish]

That is very very bad. I hope it is contained .

[Crater101]

I quite agree, very bad indeed. Bees are an important link in the foodchain. Here's hoping that it's contained and eliminated quickly.

[wavelandscott]

This is a big concern and hopefully it can be brought under control.

Biosecurity rules are often times considered to be the heavy handed and unneeded by many but they are not.

I have seen the impact that this particular pest can have on an industry and it can be quite harmful.

[Hodur]

Those found with food declared or non declare when attempting to enter Aust should be immediately extradited. No hearing, no deals, bio safe destruction of all goods plus a five year travel ban.
Fines dont work, extradition and travel bans work.
We need our bio security to be as solid as a parliamentary pension, rock solid

[glend]

Bring back the quaratine police walking the inbound aircraft aisle with insect spray. Mite help.

[Sunfish]

To be fair, it is unlikely that any bee would bring in this hazard with an individual on a plane . This is likely the result of a colony of bees in a ship or external cargo which is why it is first detected in sentinel hives around the port.

Where we all import more and more items from overseas and insist they arrive quickly and in greater numbers it becomes more and more difficult to keep out stowaway insects and water borne hazards.

The only real long term solution would be offshore container and cargo terminals with quarantine and irradiated tunnels to bring sealed containers ashore and to export materials to keep vessels offshore. That would just be impossibly expensive now.

The department of primary industries does a great job training us all in bee keeping and bio hazard security as does customs in keeping most things out.

[gary]

Story here :-
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/bee-killer-mite-found-on-central-coast-as-authorities-expand-hives-to-be-destroyed-20220701-p5ay9y.html

[Sunfish]

Aargh . Getting closer. Might be the end of honey for many.