MAF concedes varroa have won the battle

The last defensive line against the varroa bee mite in the South Island has been removed.

All movement controls designed to prevent the spread of varroa were revoked by MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) this week after incursion of the pest throughout the island became inevitable.

MAF Biosecurity incursion manager Richard Norman said 17 beekeeping operations in Waimakariri and Selwyn Districts had been confirmed positive for varroa.

"High levels of mites detected in some operations suggest varroa may have been present for six months, which suggests varroa is established and widespread."

The news comes as no surprise to Marlborough Beekeeper's Association spokesman Darren Clifford after the extent of the North Canterbury infestation was identified last week.

"I fully expected it (the lifting of controls) to come through this week. You can't have a line with infection on either side of it."

MAF tracing has identified more than 150 beekeeping operations situated within a five kilometre radius of infested apiaries. These operations are at risk from local spread of varroa. The infestation in North Canterbury is now beyond the point where it can be eradicated or contained in a localised programme, said Mr Norman.

"In addition, the high densities of hives in the Canterbury region and the lack of geographical barriers means there is little scope for an effective movement control line to progressively withdraw down the South Island," said Mr Norman, adding that it was inevitable that varroa would spread from the Nelson region.

Since its arrival in the North Island of New Zealand eight years ago, reportedly on a queen bee smuggled into the country, the varroa mite species has spread rapidly, laying its eggs inside the brood cells of a beehive where the mites feed on bee larvae.

Uncontrolled, varroa will usually "kill" a bee colony within a year, an expensive loss to beekeepers as well as a major threat to honey producers and the billion dollar fruit export industry, which relies on bees for pollinating crops such as kiwifruit.

The remaining funds from the axed control programme will be used to help beekeepers in the South Island adapt to the varroa threat through advice, hive testing and education workshops.

Mr Clifford said that was a better plan than putting money into subsidising expensive treatment that might only help some beekeepers.

He said there were nine registered treatments for varroa in New Zealand, all with varying degrees of success.  The beekeeping industry had been involved with a new organic  treatment trialled in the Waikato which would be on the market next autumn. HortResearch scientist Mark Goodwin is working on strains of bees that appear to be resistant to the mite.

Varroa remains a notifiable organism and beekeepers in uninfested areas should still report suspect finds of varroa to MAFBNZ 0800 80 99 66.

- The Marlborough Express