Varroa mite simulation exposes weakness

This is the scenario played out during a simulation exercise conducted at two workshops involving representatives of the industry, including honey producers, pollination providers and pollination-reliant horticulturalists, along with rural research and development corporations and government agencies.

A report is now available, outlining the results of the exercise held to test the likely impact of an incursion of Varroa mite, which has had a massive impact on bee populations around the globe.

Australia is currently the only major honey producing country to be free of the microscopic pest, but pollination and horticultural industries believe it’s a matter of when, not if, it arrives here. In the past three years Varroa mite has reached New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, almost wiping out their wild bee populations.

Rodney Turner, General Manager Programs with Plant Health Australia, was lead author of the report Pollination Simulation: A report on two scenario driven workshops.

“This exercise highlighted just how mobile the industry is, with bee hives travelling the length and breadth of the country at various parts of the year to pollinate orchards and other crops,” Mr Turner said.

“For the first time, we had biosecurity regulators from both plant and animal industries together. This is recognition that although bees are considered livestock, any pests which impact their numbers will also have a major impact on plant industries.

“We looked at how the various organisations would work together in the event of a Varroa mite incursion and confirmed just how difficult it would be to eradicate the pest.”

Mr Turner said a key outcome was agreement on the need to identify which pesticides may be used to fight Varroa mite and whether they are registered for that use.

“The group also recommended a business continuity plan be prepared for the honeybee, pollination and pollination-reliant plant industries in the case of the mite becoming established in Australia. The plan is now underway,” Mr Turner said.

The simulation exercise was carried out, in part, due to growing recognition in recent years of the importance of pollination and acknowledgement that pests and diseases of honeybees have a flow-on impact to horticultural and other plant industries.

The Australian Honeybee Industry Council is now a signatory to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed, and agreement has also been reached to include honeybee pests. The Deed covers the shared management and funding of eradication efforts and can also see affected producers receive reimbursement for losses if there is an outbreak.

The report Pollination Simulation: A report on two scenario driven workshops is now available on the pollination page of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation website, at www.rirdc.gov.au