Toxic threat to native bees prompts call for change in varroa mite eradication zones

Concerns have been raised around the use of an insecticide to control the varroa mite outbreak in New South Wales, particularly its impact on the native bee population.

Fipronil kills insects, including bees, by affecting their nervous system. 

Under the varroa mite emergency response, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is euthanasing beehives that sit within eradication zones across the state to limit the spread of the deadly parasite. 

The DPI is also targeting the feral European honeybee population by using Fipronil bait stations to target wild nests. 

More than 34,000 people have signed a petition launched by Community Voice Australia-Central Coast and Save The Bees Australia, calling for the immediate halting and removal of Fipronil baiting in NSW Red Zones.

Animal Justice Party MLC Emma Hurst tabled the petition in parliament last week.

She said the use of Fipronil was causing huge community stress.

“The DPI has spent over a year trying to wipe out these mites in NSW with no luck and the eradication zone just keeps expanding,” Ms Hurst said.

“History shows that complete eradication of these mites is virtually impossible [and] it’s difficult to see how this ongoing culling program by the DPI can continue to be justified with no end in sight.”

The NSW government announced $31 million last month to support beekeepers, horticulture and cropping industries affected by the varroa mite outbreak.

How are other countries coping?

New Zealand has been living with the parasite since 2000.

Auckland Beekeepers Club president Martin Garside told the ABC’s Scott Levi there were safe and effective ways to deal with the pest.

“I feel very sorry for your beekeepers … I certainly hope eventually you can sort something out, but I think it’s a time to rather look at the control of varroa rather than trying to eradicate it totally,” he said.

The Fipronil baits are designed to attract honeybees in the hope they will collect a toxic sugar syrup and take it back to their nest to kill it in due course.

“Most of the time the bait stations only contain a sweet liquid to attract honeybees,” a DPI spokesperson said.

“Fipronil is only added by a trained officer when they observe European honeybees to be highly active at the bait station.

“And it is removed by the officer after a supervised period to ensure it is not accessed by other species.”

While strict protocols are in place to prevent Fipronil impacting native bees and other wildlife, the Australian Native Bee Association’s website states native bees could consume Fipronil through dead European honeybee nests.

“In due course the feral nests will die, leaving substantial stores of honey which will be contaminated with Fipronil inside the trees,” it states.

“Unfortunately, native stingless bees and other nectar-feeding insects, reptiles, birds and mammals may visit dead feral European honeybee nests and collect contaminated honey.

“Some of these native insects and animals may die from Fipronil poisoning.”

Strict measures in place

The Department of Primary Industries website states there is a “very low risk” that some native bees may be affected by the insecticide.

It says the bait stations are designed and operated to exclude non-target animals.

Targeting the feral bee population is considered vital to eradicate varroa mite from New South Wales.

The DPI says Fipronil is used in more than 200 registered products in Australia, including domestic pet oral and spot flea and tick treatments and household products to kill termites, cockroaches and ants.

“The concentration of Fipronil used in the bait stations is about 10,000 times weaker than that used in common flea treatments for dogs available in Australia,” a spokesperson said.

The DPI said euthanasia of wild honeybees in the eradication zones using Fipronil bait stations had been reviewed and endorsed by the NSW and Australian honeybee industry (AHBIC / NSW ABA), Pollination dependent horticulture and cropping industries (through PHA) and all state and territory governments in Australia.