21 May 2000

Varroa Update - Field Operations Response Team

We have now reached day 40 of the response and the following is a summary of the activities from the Field Operations Response Team (FORT).

Firstly we would like to thank the beekeepers for their support in this response. This support has been invaluable both in providing information and physically assisting with the survey. Many beekeepers have worked long hours which is much appreciated by the FORT and the industry as a whole.

To date we have inspected over 2000 apiaries containing 40,000 hives and collected in excess of 8,000 sticky board samples.

This has resulted in a total of 266 infected places containing 3768 hives owned by 122 beekeepers. The FORT has responded to 1,803 phone enquires and carried out 2,015 traces on movement of bees and equipment. In the South Island all beekeepers were phoned regarding movements from the North Island (1500 beekeepers).

The aim of the fieldwork is to identify the extent of the spread of the mite and to clarify the risks to apiaries outside the infected area. At present the FORT is concentrating on completing three major projects (approximately 10 days work) to gather information from:

• The infected area

• Apiaries outside the infected area owned by beekeepers in the infected area

• Apiaries associated with high risk traces from the infected area In addition we will be gathering information relating to the more recently identified infected apiaries at Te Puke, Hokianga and Te Awamutu.

Apart from the information gathering in the field, a lot of work is going on behind the scenes to facilitate a cabinet decision on the next step to take.

These include:

• Ongoing technical assessment of the information gathered to date

• A scoping operational plan to eradicate Varroa

• A technical group, including experts and industry, exploring the different options available

• An impact assessment of the effect of the mite on the different industries involved and a cost benefit analysis on the options available to deal with Varroa

The field efforts and the supporting work are now entering the final stages.

Once again on behalf of the Field Operations Response Team and MAF I would like to thank the beekeeping industry for their continuing support. Without your contribution the results to date would not have been achievable.

If you have any enquires please do not hesitate to ring 09 256 9395 or for permit applications 0800 109 383.

FORT Controller