There are fears a Recent South Wales bee breeding ‘palace’ is below threat, per week on from varroa mite being detected on the Port of Newcastle.
Key beneficial properties:
- Tens of millions of bees and their hives are being destroyed to discontinue the unfold of varroa mite
- A key genetics ‘palace’ in NSW is correct 3 kilometres exterior the eradication zones
- Industry is exploring whether analysis bees might perhaps perchance moreover be saved, without breaching wider security
Tens of millions of bees receive already been destroyed to curb the unfold of the parasite in a inform to place Australia free of varroa mite.
But another emergency zone has been operate up at Calga, on the Central Float, taking the total collection of impacted properties to 9.
One station that would moreover be below threat is a $2.8-million ‘bee palace’ opened at Tocal within the NSW Hunter jam closing year.
Researchers had been studying bee genetics and varroa mite adjust on the Tocal Agricultural Institute station for years and this outbreak threatens undoubtedly one of its greatest projects, the Nationwide Honey Bee Genetic Enchancment Program.
The program specializes in identifying and selecting traits of importance to beekeeping, horticulture and wide acre industries, with the operate to receive a national database to relief beekeepers expend their breeding stock primarily based totally on particular traits.
The Department of Foremost Industries runs the station accurate 3 kilometres exterior the Seaham eradication zone.
“The queen bee palace is the guts of our genetic enhance program and analysis and perhaps our easiest line of defence against this mite getting out correct by device of the nation,” Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell said.
But Mr Layzell said Tocal remained in a “excessive threat” zone.
Australian Honeybee Industry Council chair Steve Targett said discussions had been going down to procure security protocols effect in station for the breeding bees.
“But we enact no longer desire [varroa mite] to scramble by attempting to save our genetic fabric,” he said.
Tocal School’s beekeeping direction, which is “undoubtedly one of their most approved applications”, is continuing nonetheless without good formulation whereas NSW stays below a beehive motion ban.
NSW authorities remain confident they’ll eradicate the parasite.
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