As a precautionary measure following the detection a single small hive beetle in a guard hive in the Devonport area, Biosecurity Tasmania asks all commercial and recreational beekeepers within the 15km Bee Movement Restriction Area not to open their hives until 31 March 2023.
Effective immediately, Biosecurity Tasmania has placed a moratorium until 31 March on the opening of hives, harvest of honey and honeycomb, and movement of beekeeping equipment for any beekeepers that are in the 15km Bee Movement Restriction Area as declared in the General Biosecurity Direction.
This interactive map can be used to determine if your apiary or any other property where hives are kept is within the Restriction Area: https://tinyurl.com/beerestriction
In its larvae stage, small hive beetles burrow into beehives consuming brood, pollen and honey, which can significantly damage the hive population and honey production.
To date there has been no further detections beyond the single beetle found in a Biosecurity Tasmania guard hive. The detection of a single beetle does not mean that small hive beetle is established in Tasmania, however as a precautionary measure, Biosecurity Tasmania has enacted emergency management protocols and is actively investigating hives in the surrounding area.
The moratorium on opening hives provides Biosecurity Tasmania with time to conduct trapping and surveillance actions to determine if small hive beetle is present elsewhere in the Restriction Area. Opening a hive increases the risk that if small hive beetle is present, it might spread to other hives. Small hive beetle can also be spread on and in a range of beekeeping equipment and bee products.
These restrictions do not affect honey movement and sales within the Restriction Area provided it was harvested before 8 March and has been filtered to a maximum 2mm pore size.
Beekeeper Associations and those within the Restriction Area have been extremely helpful, working with Biosecurity Tasmania to investigate this detection.
If you believe you must open a hive for any reason, please contact Biosecurity Tasmania on 6165 3777 to arrange a time for a Biosecurity Officer to be present when the hive is opened.
For more information on the small hive beetle response, and to see the General Biosecurity Direction and ither important information about the moratorium, please visit www.nre.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/animal-biosecurity/animal-health/bees/small-hive-beetle.