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NSW authorities begin destroying thousands of bees
in Newcastle in bid to control deadly varroa mite

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The destruction of hundreds of beehives in Newcastle and parts of New South Wales is underway as authorities work to control the spread of a deadly parasite.

The detection of the Varroa destructor — commonly called the varroa mite — in the Port of Newcastle last week triggered a 10-kilometre eradication zone and halt on all movement of bees across the state.

The Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services has so far earmarked 300 hives in the zone to be destroyed over the next few days.

"So far, just around the Newcastle area, there's been six sentinel hives and three private hives that have been destroyed and that will continue over the next day or so," NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said.

One hundred and twenty hives were also destroyed in Trangie yesterday after government contact tracers found a commercial beekeeper near the port had recently sent some of his hives to the region.

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