Relief for S Island beekeepers after varroa mite tests

Only bees in the Nelson region appear to be at risk.

The Marlborough Sounds has been declared free of the destructive varroa mite after extensive testing indicated the disease in the South Island may be confined to the Nelson region.

Biosecurity New Zealand said today that a suspected varroa find at Durville Island in the Marlborough Sounds had proved negative.

Its senior policy analyst Paul Bolger said that testing of all hives associated with the original infestation in the South Island was about 90 per cent complete.

It was expected that testing of 8500 hives at 600 sites, belonging to 127 beekeepers, would be completed this week.

There had been 41 confirmed sites infected with varroa -- 39 within the 10km zone around Nelson and two at Tapawera, 30km from Nelson.

Mr Bolger said in order to gain an accurate picture of how far the mite had spread it was imperative that all beekeepers with unregistered hives notified officials as soon as possible.

Biosecurity NZ was looking at the technical feasibility of different management options, and weighing up the economic social and cultural impacts of each option, he said.

"If eradication is not feasible, Biosecurity New Zealand will work with the industry to minimise the impacts of varroa."

The agency launched a response after the presence of varroa was confirmed at two sites near Stoke in the Nelson region on June 16.

The mite was first detected in 2000 in Auckland but by the time it was detected, it had spread too far for eradication to be feasible.

Instead, the Government put in place a programme to slow its spread in the North Island and to try and keep the South Island free of this pest.

- NZPA