20 July 2004
Varroa movement controls to change
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry plans to reduce South Island varroa movement controls as no varroa have been
found since the investigation started in June.
MAF Varroa Programme Coordinator Paul Bolger said that the movement controls around Murchison will be removed once final
testing of hives is completed next week.
“MAF is satisfied that the Murchison detection is likely to have been the result of laboratory contamination and further
controls are not warranted,” he said.
The Oxford investigation will continue, with changes to movement control restrictions and further testing of 7,500 hives
over the next month. Currently over 300 beekeepers are affected by movement controls in North Canterbury. With the new
controls the number of beekeepers directly affected will be fewer than 30.
Mr Bolger said that the controlled area currently covering the whole of North Canterbury will be reduced to a 10
kilometre zone around the Oxford property on Tuesday 27 July.
Movement restrictions will remain on apiaries within this zone and any hives outside of the 10 kilometre zone which are
also owned by beekeepers that have hives within the controlled area.
“If there is no further evidence of varroa, the Oxford investigation will be called off by the end of August. To
continue with current controls would seriously disrupt the commercial operations of beekeepers and potentially those
industries that rely on bees for pollination services,” Paul Bolger said.
The varroa investigation was initiated in June after a single varroa mite was found on an Oxford apiary. The
investigation was extended to include Murchison following the detection of a mite on the outside of a plastic bag
containing sticky boards used in varroa surveillance from a Murchison property.
A meeting with Canterbury beekeepers will be held on Thursday 22nd July at 7.30pm at the Sudima Grand Chancellor Hotel,
corner Memorial Ave & Orchard Rd Christchurch Airport
For more information on the South Island varroa investigation please go to: www.maf.govt.nz/varroa
ENDS