Bad News
After our hard fought victory stoping potentially infected bees coming into Victoria from NSW last year. In a shock announcement yesterday @nsw_dpi are going to allow interstate hive movement.
Beekeepers within the NSW who wish to move bees or hives into QLD or Victoria can apply for a permit through Department of Agriculture. This was on the same day they announced more cases of the mite and an expansion of the red zones.
Queensland and Victorian beekeepers are furious and many are expected to boycott the Almond pollination in August this year.
“It blows my mind that DPI is flinging open the borders when they still gotta deal with active cases. It's like, what the hell? It's gonna spread like wildfire. And let me tell ya, a buncha beekeepers ain't gonna be cool with that. It's a real bummer. This decision is straight up disappointing and gut-wrenching. It's gonna have us dealing with the Mite for a long forever . It's a dark day for Beekeeping, my friends."
“7000 square kilometres of poisoned eradication zones, bee free for 3years, DPI is still finding new zones and they give the green light to the almonds... what a punch in the guts! — feeling broken.” Nathan
Previously Dpi nsw explains
“The fastest way to spread Varroa mite is by people moving honeybees, hives and apiary equipment between apiary sites.
That's why we put movement restrictions in place as soon as the first mites were detected and confirmed. “
Beekeepers in the red zones are at breaking point
“Why are they killing my healthy hives while potentially spreading Varroa around the state and interstate “.
Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to this GoFundMe and to Senator Peter Whish-Wilson who was able to ask our questions in a federal inquiry.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChIojWyh0lU/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
It’s sad to think all the suffering might be for nothing.
I will be approaching Moorhead lawyers for legal advice in regards to stoping the spread of varroa.
I had hoped varroa would be contained by now but they are still yet to find the perimeter of Varroa mite and are still killing bees and expanding the redzones.
While it is understandable that officials may want to take swift action to prevent the spread of varroa mite, exterminating hives and poisoning them with Fipronil is not the answer as the perimeter of the outbreak has not been found.
Fipronil is a broad-spectrum insecticide that is toxic to a wide range of insects, not just wildbees. It also has the potential to harm other pollinators, such as butterflies and indigenous bees, as well as non-target species. This means that it could have serious ecological consequences, potentially disrupting entire ecosystems.
Beekeeper Dolphi who has experience with the mite overseas and also lost over 100 healthy hives is NSW is raising funds to put a halt to the ongoing poisoning program that doesn’t make sense while migratory beekeeping is allowed.
You can help Dolphi by donating below