South Australia has expanded interstate locations from which bees and bee products may be moved into South Australia.

PIRSA is now accepting applications for permits to facilitate movements from the General Emergency Zone in New South Wales, subject to certain conditions being met.

Currently bee and bee products can be moved from Victoria and Queensland, subject to approvals being granted.

These latest changes follow national acceptance, earlier this year, the General Emergency Zone (GEZ) in New South Wales currently remains free from Varroa mites.

Following consultation with national and state level industry stakeholders and the other jurisdictions, South Australia will now join Queensland and Victoria to allow the movement of honeybee colonies from the New South Wales GEZ, subject to a strict permit system.

Essentially, the same permit system that has applied to the importation of honeybees and Honey bee commodities into South Australia from Queensland and Victoria is being applied to movements from the designated NSW GEZ Importation of queen bees, escorts and queen cells remain prohibited from anywhere in NSW.

Permission by South Australia’s Chief Inspector of Stock is still required for all imports from NSW, Queensland or Victoria into South Australia of honey bees, honey bee colonies, hive components, apiary products (honey, honeycomb, bees wax etc), apiary appliances and beekeeping plant (including vehicles, tools, clothing, footwear, veils and gloves).

Some exceptions apply for new commodities and packer produced apiary products, listed in the latest SA Gazettal Notice at www.governmentgazette.sa.gov.au

For further details on the latest movement restrictions and instructions on applying for a movement permit are available at www.pir.sa.gov.au/varroa.

Anyone who detects or suspects Varroa mite in their bees should email PIRSA.beebiosecurity@sa.gov.au or call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.