Strengthening hive What are the What is biosecurity?
Honey bee
biosecurity
Good hive and farm biosecurity practices
risks?
Honey bee’s pollinate around 65%
Biosecurity is a set of measures that can
be put in place at the national, regional or
farm level to protect against the introduction biosecurity
threats
are needed to minimise the risk of new pest of agricultural and horticultural crops and spread of new pests, to help deal with
introductions into Australia and help manage produced in Australia and play a crucial them should they arrive, and to minimise
pests that are already established. role in Australia’s food security. There are the impact of those already established.
a number of pest threats to the Australian
There are a number of things that will
honey bee industry that could have a
improve your property’s biosecurity and Early detection and immediate
negative impact on pollination and honey
assist Australia’s plant production and
honey bee industries.
production. reporting increases the chance of
an effective eradication or improved
Established and exotic
Beekeepers should
This brochure outlines both established and
exotic honey bee pests and what you can do
management of a new pest. pests of honey bees in
• Check the health of any bees purchased to help safeguard Australia’s food security
Australia
• Consider hive placement and what pests
might be at a new location
and honey bee industries.
Have you
• Specifically check hives for established spotted anything
and exotic pests
• Consider the stress placed on honey bees
that are regularly moved
unusual?
Report anything unusual to the Exotic
• Isolate captured swarms for six months to Plant Pest Hotline
ensure freedom from pests and diseases
• Position hives to limit the transfer of pests HOTLINE
ANT PEST
EXOTIC PL
81
from hive to hive
18 0 0 0 8 4 8
Further information
Australian Honey Bee Industry Council
www.honeybee.org.au
Plant Health Australia
www.phau.com.au
Recognising new pests early will
Disclaimer: The material in this publication is for general
help protect the productivity of information only and no person should act, or fail to act on the
the industry and those industries basis of this material without first obtaining professional advice.
Plant Health Australia and all persons acting for Plant Health
dependent on pollination.
PHA11-054
Australia expressly disclaim liability with respect to anything
done in reliance on this publication.
www.rirdc.gov.au
Exotic pests (not present in Australia) Established pests
Varroa (Varroa destructor Tracheal mites (Acarapis woodi) Asian honey bee (Apis cerana Small hive beetle (Aethina tumida)
and V. jacobsoni) Tracheal mites are microscopic internal parasites
java strain) Small hive beetle (SHB) was identified in NSW in
Varroa mites cause the most destructive of the honey bee’s respiratory system. Infection The Asian honey bee (AHB) was first detected in 2002, and has since spread throughout eastern
disease of honey bees worldwide and are the affects the honey bee’s capacity to breathe and Cairns in 2007. Australia and to parts of WA and SA.
greatest biosecurity threat to the Australian results in weakened and sick honey bees which
The AHB is similar to the European honey bee in SHB (5-7 mm long) consumes honey bee eggs,
honey bee industry. have a reduced lifespan.
Australia, although it is slightly smaller, has more brood, pollen and honey within the hive, as well
Although there are no reliable visual signs for the pronounced stripes on its abdomen and has a as laying eggs throughout the hive.
detection of this pest, infected honey bees may more erratic flying pattern.
crawl around the hive entrance unable to fly.
Research Service, Bugwood.org
Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural
Nick Annand – NSW DPI
Varroa mite on the thorax of a worker bee
Varroa mites (1-2 mm long) are carried on both
USDA
Asian and European honey bees. Australia is Small hive beetle adult
CSIRO
the last remaining major beekeeping country Tracheal mites inside the breathing tubes of a honey bee
Asian honey bee worker bees The hatched larvae (11 mm long) chew through
free from this pest.
the combs, causing the honey to ferment and
Tropilaelaps mites (Tropilaelaps The AHB robs managed hives of their honey
Varroa mites feed on both adult and brood the hive to become ‘slimed out’.
clareae and T. mercedesae) stores and competes for floral resources; is a
stages of honey bees, causing early death and
Tropilaelaps mites (1-2 mm long) are parasites natural carrier of the Varroa mite; poses a greater
deformity, as well as transmitting viruses. This
of honey bee brood. These mites cause brood public nuisance and is likely to swarm and
results in the early death of individual honey
malformation, death of bees and subsequent establish nests in disturbed environments.
bees and the ultimate collapse of the colony
if left untreated. colony decline or absconding.
Nick Annand – NSW DPI
Development and Innovation, Queensland
Department of Employment, Economic
Denis Anderson, CSIRO
Small hive beetle larvae ‘sliming’ out a frame
The beetle avoids light and thrives in humid and
warm environments, relying on bee colonies for
CSIRO
survival. Large numbers of SHB can result in a
Varroa mites on a bee pupa Tropilaelaps mites on European honey bee pupae, and a Asian honey bee swarm bee colony absconding.
deformed bee
