News & Events

Varroa mite eradication update

10/02/2017 – 1:52 pm Bees on the move With the recent rainfall in North Queensland, there has been a notable increase in bee activity and swarms. The National Varroa Mite Eradication Progam is calling on beekeepers and members of the public in the Townsville area  to report new bee swarms and feral nests so that they can be examined […] Read more

Varroa mite prevention and control program in Townsville

19/01/2017 – 9:23 am Biosecurity Queensland is conducting surveillance and control activities to detect and destroy Asian honey bees and eradicate varroa mites. To stop the spread of varroa mites, a Prevention and Control Program is now in place for the Townsville City Council local government area. The Prevention and Control Program imposes obligations on an occupier of a […] Read more

Beekeepers and farmers encouraged to use technology to communicate this season

21/12/2016 – 10:01 am The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC) and Cotton Australia are calling on all farmers and beekeepers to use online tools to better communicate with each other to protect bees and crops. Cotton Australia CEO, Adam Kay, says the BeeConnected app facilitates communication between farmers and beekeepers as a tool to ensure crop protection is […] Read more

How pollination will change if Varroa destructor mite hits Australia

20/12/2016 – 3:21 pm Currently Australia has a high concentration of feral honey bee colonies – that is unmanaged hives in the wild—and these helpful insects pollinate many crops. But as overseas experience has shown, if there should be an incursion of the honey bee parasite Varroa destructor in Australia, this invader would kill off unmanaged hives, with the […] Read more

Varroa mite eradication team in it for the long haul

02/12/2016 – 8:48 am The campaign to rid Townsville of varroa mites is now being funded nationally, with a dedicated locally-based varroa mite eradication team being established in Townsville. Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Economic Development Bill Byrne said the establishment of the National Varroa Mite Eradication Program would ensure a continuing long-term effort to […] Read more