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No small hive beetles detected as inspections continue
Fruit Growers Tasmania | Friday, 21 April 2023, 3.00pm
Biosecurity Tas has announced restrictions are set to ease as no new small hive beetles have been detected since a single small hive beetle was found in the Devonport area at the start of March.
Biosecurity Tasmania will implement a staged process to ease restrictions across the Bee Movement Restriction Area.
The moratorium placed by Biosecurity Tasmania on 12 March has been extended until 21 April but provided no more small hive beetles are detected, the following restrictions will then be lifted:
- Bee Movement Restriction Area reduced from 15km to 10km around the detection site; and
- Honey can be brought into the Bee Movement Restriction Area to be filtered and processed to a minimum 2mm.
​Beehives within the 10km Bee Movement restriction Area will still be subject to movement restrictions and inspections and trapping will continue within this area.
Provided no more beetles are detected, further restrictions will be lifted as Biosecurity Tasmania becomes confident that we are free from small hive beetle.
For more information, please visit www.nre.tas.gov.au/SHB or call (03) 6165 3777.
Biosecurity Tasmania acknowledges that the success of the response to date is thanks to the exceptional level of cooperation with beekeepers, industry and the community.
The response to calls for all beekeepers across the state to register has also been excellent. It is now illegal to keep bees and be unregistered. Registration is free and is one of the most powerful tools to protect against pests and diseases that threaten our bee population.
If you know of beehives within the Restriction Area that are either not registered or not taped with Biosecurity tape, please report this to Biosecurity Tasmania immediately on (03) 6165 3777 or email biosecurity.tasmania@nre.tas.gov.au.
To determine if a hive is within the Restriction Area, please visit: Bee Movement Restriction Area interactive map.
