Moving bees and bee commodities

Alert: Report varroa mites

PIRSA has engaged with industry bodies and developed a response plan, which will be activated if varroa mite reaches South Australia.

If you suspect varroa mite, contact the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline immediately.

Freecall 1800 084 881 PIRSA.beebiosecurity@sa.gov.au

There are requirements for moving bees and bee commodities into South Australia. These help to protect the industry from pests and diseases.

Since the transition to management for varroa mite, some movement requirements have changed.

Bees and bee commodities

Movement restrictions are in place for:

  • bees, including queens, queen escorts and queen cells
  • bee colonies, including hives, nucleus hives, packages and swarms
  • hive components, including frames or boxes of honey, stickies and culls
  • apiary products, including containers of honey, wax and pollen
  • apiary appliances, including any articles, apparatus or implement used in connection with beekeeping, or containers that held apiary products
  • beekeeping plant, including vehicles and associated apiary appliances carried in a vehicle, such as hive inspection equipment.

See the South Australian Government Gazette No. 92 , 22 December 2023 (PDF) for all conditions of entry for bees and bee commodities.

Move bees and bee commodities into SA

From 19 July 2023, you must have permission from the Chief Inspector of Stock to move bees and bee commodities into South Australia.

Beekeepers can apply, provided they comply with specified conditions. This includes moving bees from the following areas:

  • Queensland
  • Victoria
  • NSW Suppression Emergency Zone.

Use the Entry application and guideline for moving bees and bee commodities (PDF 330.1 KB).

Movement restrictions

New South Wales has defined zoning, movement restrictions, and management conditions to help slow the spread of varroa mite. See the NSW varroa mite emergency zone map outlining current zoning.

To minimise risks of introducing varroa mite to the state, SA has temporarily suspended movement applications from NSW for:

  • bees, including queens
  • bee colonies.

All applications for bee entry into South Australia are individually assessed. Some exemptions apply for new commodities and produced apiary products, as detailed in the gazette notice.

Protected zone

Kangaroo Island is a declared reservation for the European honey bee subspecies Apis mellifera ligustica, commonly known as the Ligurian or Italian honey bee.

To protect this unique species and their disease-free status, no bees or bee commodities can be introduced to Kangaroo Island.

Move bees and bee commodities from SA

To take bees and bee commodities from South Australia into another state, you must comply with any conditions or restrictions for that state. This could include permit and movement requirements for the destination state, and any state you are transiting through.

See the following state websites for their bee movement restrictions:

Prior to re-entering South Australia from interstate, you must comply with the gazetted bee and bee commodity entry conditions.

Page last reviewed: 11 Jan 2024

 


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