There have been 9 new infested premises confirmed from NSW DPI Surveillance through laboratory diagnostics. This brings the total Infested Premises to 131. The link below provides access to the update provided by AHBIC earlier this afternoon. 

https://honeybee.org.au/ahbic-industry-update-19-265-days-of-response/

These new detections serve as a timely reminder for all beekeepers to complete varroa mite surveillance now and report your findings to the Bee 123 portal or report your surveillance over the phone to 13 25 23.

All the best, 

Jo Martin. 

Dear Members, 

Please see the attachment below which provides the latest weekly update in relation to the response to varroa and operations within the Varroa Mite Prevention and Preparedness Program. 

QBA Varroa Destructor Update to Members 03032023.pdf

Should you have any questions in relation to this update, please email the QBA info@qbabees.org.au 

Kind regards,

Jo Martin 

Dear Members, 

Please find attached below the latest update from the Varroa Mite Prevention and Preparedness Program within Biosecurity Queensland for the week ending the 23/02/2023.

QBA Varroa Destructor Update to Members 23022023.pdf

With the latest detection of Varroa mite outside of the clustered emergency zones, we strongly encourage members to conduct varroa mite surveillance and report all results to the Bee 123 app. 

More information on the Bee 123 app can be found within the update attached above. 

Many thanks, 

Jo Martin. 

Dear Members, 

Please find attached below the latest weekly update from the Varroa Mite Prevention and Preparedness Program within Biosecurity Queensland for the week ending 17 February 2023.

QBA Varroa Destructor Update to Members 17022023.pdf

Should you have any questions in relation to the update, please email me at info@qbabees.org.au. 

Many thanks, 

Jo Martin 

Please find below, the latest update from AHBIC relating to two new detections of varroa mite in NSW. The two new detections are located in the Taree and Wherool Flat regions, located approximately 130km north of Newcastle. 

AHBIC Varroa incursion update 18.pdf

We again ask that all apiarists complete varroa mite surveillance as a priority and report all results to the Bee 123 portal. The Bee 123 desktop portal can be accessed by clicking here. 

The QBA will continue to closely monitor the situation and work with authorities in Queensland to provide practical consultation to the VMPPP team within Biosecurity Queensland. We will communicate updates relating to this matter as soon as additional information comes to hand. 

Kind regards,

Jo Martin 

QBA State Secretary

Please find the latest update from the Biosecurity Queensland Varroa Mite Prevention and Preparedness Program. This is the weekly update for the week ending 9 February 2023.

QBA Varroa Destructor Update to Members 09022023.pdf

We ask that you undertake varroa mite surveillance as a priority and report all surveillance activities to the Bee 123 portal. 

For more information on the Bee 123 portal, please click here. 

Kind regards,

Jo Martin 

QBA State Secretary

Please see the latest update from AHBIC in the link below relating to the addition of two new infested premises, bringing the new total of IP's to 114.

AHBIC-Varroa-Incursion-update-17.pdf

This update provides insight into the new detections and the management of wild colonies in the emergency zones. 

Kind regards,

Jo Martin 

QBA State Secretary

As a follow on from our earlier email, please find below information relating to the latest update from the Biosecurity Queensland, Varroa Mite Prevention and Preparedness Program. 

Members have received an email earlier today providing information relating to the weekly update from the week ending 25th January 2023. As explained in our previous email, the Varroa Mite Prevention and Preparedness Program (VMPPP) has experienced a number of staffing movements during the course of January. 

I am pleased to advise the reporting period will return to the standard weekly cycle that the QBA and our members have been accustomed to in the past. 

The QBA will endeavour to communicate weekly updates each Monday, providing an update into the week that was. 

• QBA Varroa Destructor Update to Members 02022023.pdf
  

In addition, we kindly ask that our members undertake varroa mite checks as a priority. Your assistance in checking bees and reporting your results to the Bee 123 app is invaluable to the national response efforts.

The QBA is working with Biosecurity Queensland to provide clear and practical information to the broader beekeeping industry, detailing surveillance testing volumes and the frequency of testing rates.

We recognise information provided through government communications may have failed to address this matter clearly in the past. Ultimately we are placing a dedicated effort to see apiarists from all backgrounds engaged in the fight to protect our bees and our beekeeping freedoms. 

Check your bees and report your results. 

Kind regards,

Jo Martin 

QBA State Secretary

Dear Members, 

In recent weeks we've seen a few staffing changes within the Biosecurity Queensland Varroa Mite Prevention and Preparedness Program (VMPPP). As a result of these changes the frequency of program reporting has changed and the QBA is now provided with weekly updates at the end of each work week. 

Although we recognise that this update provides 'dated' data, we believe it remains important to provide industry with information to follow the movements of the response to varroa, from initial notification to now. 

Please find the weekly update for the week ending 25th January 2023 attached below. 

• QBA Varroa Destructor Update to Members 25012023.pdf

Please feel free to contact me via email (info@qbabees.org.au) should you have any questions in relation to the update. 

Kind regards, 

Jo Martin. 

Today I am writing to you to provide another update in the response to Varroa mite, Braula fly and the subsequent changes effective immediately relating to the current Queensland border with other states and territories. 

This may be a lengthy email so please accept my apologies however there is much to update you on today. 

Situation Overview

The following are the key details relating to a number of new announcements today. I have detailed the key facts within the body of this email. 

• The Queensland Government have established a new biosecurity zone to protect the industry from varroa mite. 
• The new biosecurity zone covers the entire state of Queensland.
• Beekeepers from other states or territories declared free of varroa mite can enter Queensland without a permit providing they comply with the requirements in NSW to move hives through the state.
• Braula Fly (Bee louse) is no longer considered to be a prohibited matter. Braula fly is now a notifiable pest under the Qld Biosecurity regulations.
• Processed honey or beeswax, new and unused apiary appliances, and quarantine secured diagnostic honey samples for testing at a recognised diagnostic facility can continue to enter Queensland. 
• Queensland based beekeepers may now accept queen bee consignments sent from Victoria and any other state found to be free from varroa. 
• The movement of queen bees from NSW into Queensland continues to be strictly prohibited. Permits and Conditions are being developed in collaboration with other jurisdictions. This is the next priority for the jurisdictional cross agency response working group. 

New Biosecurity Zone in Queensland

The Queensland Government have now established a new biosecurity zone in Queensland. This change removes the previous Movement Control Order which served as the statutory document that enforced the closure of Queensland borders. 

From today, beekeepers and supplies of queen bees from states or territories declared free from varroa may recommence the movement of livestock on the provision the beekeeper migrating bees or sending a consignment of queens meets the requirements for moving bees through NSW. 

If you're intention is to transport bees from VIC through NSW you are required to check the requirements relating to the movement of hives with NSW DPI. 

Just like the border closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, please ensure you are meeting the requirements of the jurisdiction where the bees are currently located and where they may be migrated too. 

Changes to the Queensland Border with New South Wales

As the QBA communicated in a recent email, the NSW blue 'general' biosecurity zone was recently declared to be 'free' from varroa by other state jurisdictions after careful consideration of the area of freedom report. Click here to read the update from AHBIC. 

This change in the status of the blue zone now provides a means for beekeepers to migrate honey bee colonies under a strict permit and compliance arrangement across the Queensland/New South Wales border. Any beekeepers considering their options to migrate bees is strongly encouraged to visit the DAF E-hub (click here) to learn more about the application process and speak with a representative from Biosecurity Queensland (call 13 25 23). 

Any beekeeper wishing to move hives the NSW general biosecurity zone to Queensland must complete an application for an entry permit. Please click on the link below to learn more about this permit. 

• https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/biosecurity/policy-legislation-regulation/biosecurity-instrument-permit
  

Any beekeeper planning to move will need to wait until they have received an approved permit application and meet all conditions associated with the issue of the permit. 

Queens from New South Wales

At the time of writing this email, queen bees are not permitted to be migrated from NSW across the QLD border. 

The QBA is continuing to consult with Biosecurity Queensland and it is our understanding that the interstate jurisdiction working group will be meeting to discuss this priority for the greater honey bee industry. 

Heavy penalties are in place in both NSW and QLD if non-compliant activity is identified and potentially prosecuted. 

We respect the increasing appetite to access breeder queens, queen bee consignments, and queen cells from NSW. Please be patient as the states agencies work through this matter. We have advocated for this matter to be the next priority for the interstate working group. As soon as agreement has been reached on the harmonisation of queen movements, the QBA will communicate all updates as a matter of priority to our members. 

Braula fly and movement of hives and queens from Victoria 

Queen bee breeders from Victoria and Queensland will be pleased to hear the temporary movement control order relating to the Braula fly detection in Victoria and the later announcement of the louse being declared 'endemic' has now been removed. 

Biosecurity Queensland initiated a change in the regulations to the Biosecurity Act effective today. This change in the regulations reclassifies the louse from 'restricted matter' to 'notifiable pest' under the changes to the regulations. Beekeepers should already be familiar with requirements for reporting American Foul Brood to Biosecurity Queensland as it too is classified as a notifiable disease. 

To report any notifiable pest or disease, please call 13 25 23.

Media Release from Minister Mark Furner

The news of the changes today was initially released via a media release from Minister Furner and the QBA. If you would like to read the release, please click here to download a copy.

Again I extend my apologies for the lengthy nature of this email. The information contained in this email will be condensed into a document and posted to our Varroa Mite Portal for ease of access in the future. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me and I will endeavour to answer or direct you to the appropriate authority. 

Kind regards,

Jo Martin 

QBA State Secretary