Queensland and Victoria have banned the entry of bees, hives and products, including honey, from anywhere in New South Wales as the state struggles to contain an outbreak of the devastating varroa mite.

South Australia announced a similar set of restrictions on Wednesday.

Queensland Agricultural Industry Development Minister Mark Furner said NSW had taken "swift action to restrict the spread", but said if the measures failed Queensland had "limited options" for eradicating the pest.

Click here to read the story from ABC

The movement of bees within New South Wales has been halted following the discovery last week of a deadly parasite at the Port of Newcastle. 

The statewide emergency order, which took effect at 6pm on Sunday, aims to prevent the spread of Varroa destructor, commonly called varroa mite, and described as the number one threat for Australia's bee industry.

Click here to read the story from the ABC

After two years spent living through a pandemic, terms like lockdowns, tracing and circuit breakers are familiar to Australians. 

But this time they are being used to describe the response to varroa mite, a parasite that is threatening the Australian bee industry after it was found at the Port of Newcastle and a nearby commercial beekeeper last week.

Click here to read the story from the ABC

Varroa mite has been detected in biosecurity surveillance hives at the Port of Newcastle, threatening the bee industry. 

Australia has been the only continent to remain free of the parasite, with previous detections in Queensland and Victoria eradicated. 

Click here to read the story from the ABC

One of the country's largest honey producers has warned there could be an explosion in cane toad numbers in the NSW Northern Rivers following recent record floods. 

Cane toads are invading hives on damaged sites across the region in search of the destructive small hive beetle, which poses a massive threat to bee colonies. 

Click here to read the story from ABC

A state government committee has recommended a bill extending commercial beekeeper access to national parks be passed. QBA President Jacob Stevens interviewed for this story. 

The Royal Australian Mint has released a new coin, and there's a special buzz about it.

Marking 200 years since the insect's introduction to Australia, the $2 collector's coin features two honey bees, commemorating "both the remarkable creatures and conscientious beekeepers".

Click here to read the story from the ABC

Australia's crucial crop pollination industry is experiencing a worker shortage of its own due to the widespread flood damage to thousands of beehives.

Click here to read the story from the ABC

Floodwaters rose two metres in just four hours at Steve Smith's New South Wales home, and while he escaped by boat, nearby, millions of his bees were not so lucky.

Click here to read the story from ABC

Australia is not short of honey varieties — from manuka to leatherwood and mallee — but researchers are on the hunt to find out what makes our honey, in all its flavours, unique. 

Click here to read the story from ABC