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Collapse Issue 548:<br />11 Jul 2022<br />_____________Issue 548:
11 Jul 2022
_____________
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Peninsula falls outside bee eradication zone
'Here we go again,' says Clean4Shore co-ordinator
More needed to encourage electric vehicles - Tesch
Program participant has his bike repaired
Indigenous woman announces State election candidacy
Patonga speed limit reduction welcomed
Umina Rotary decides to remain a male club
Environmental theme to community group meetings
Rotary members return from opening of Forbes project
Club announces board and executive for year ahead
Best small club bulletin
Changeover dinner for Umina Rotary club
Sunglasses donated for use in indigenous communities
Marine Rescue helps at Wisemans Ferry
Don Tee celebrates 50 years with Rotaract and Rotary
Grant to replace flooring and roller doors
Ferry services cancelled
Patonga fete is planned
Food donations wanted
Accessibility project results in 'more barriers' - Tesch
Primary students invited to design message sticks
Tesch welcomes captions for parliamentary proceedings
Tree planting continues in the rain
Coronavirus numbers rise sharply in two weeks
Under water again
From the driest June to the wettest July
Collapse  PLANNING PLANNING
Consolidated planning provisions published on website
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Dogs: Nothing to complain about?
Waterfront plan a symptom of amalgamation disaster
Concerns about masterplan that lacks detail
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Fergus the frog has hospital check-up
Painted peace poles put in place
Health on the Streets program is extended
Hospitals face medical imaging staff cuts, says Tesch
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Patchwork group members continue with projects
Final watercolour lesson for term
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Students make an art piece
Year 10 team wins debate
School presented with national flags
Glow Day to feel good on last day of term
Action needed on cost of living, says Tesch
Work starts on new playground
Sausage sizzle and cake stall
Students complete Life Ready program
Students complete bicycle touring unit
At end of first semester, principal 'feels welcome'
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Pearl Beach Bowlers join in charity bowls
Kieran named in Australian under-18s touch squad
Recent results of bridge events
Winter pairs attracts 15 duos
Roosters' club stalwart dies
Floorball championships sponsored by Umina Rotary
New canteen team wanted
Ride to Gosford and back
Judging night
Men's Kingfisher Carnival held at Umina
Bridge promotions
Charity bowls day raises $5700 for prostate cancer
Rescue boat premiership 'develops rescue skills'
Women wanted for rowing
Under-9 rugby referees wanted
Guides provided for vision-impaired runners
Selected in State bowling side
Soccer club issues code of conduct reminder
Named as softball club person of the year
Southern Spirit general meeting
Under-8s Lions win two divisions in gala day
Tennis club changes locks with renewal day
Final triples final
Under-6s complete tackle ready program

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Peninsula falls outside bee eradication zone

The Peninsula has narrowly avoided falling within the honeybee eradication zone following the detection of the destructive varroa mite in a hive at Somersby.

The eradication zone extends 10km as far as Koolewong and the National Park on Woy Woy Rd in The Bays.

The Department of Primary Industries is destroying all hives within the eradication zone.

The Peninsula falls within the 25km surveillance zones, where officials are monitoring and inspecting managed and feral honeybees to limit the extent of these incursions.

Outside the surveillance zone is a 50km biosecurity zones.

Beekeepers in all these zones must notify the Department of the location of their hives.

Throughout NSW, no beehives or honeybees may be moved without a permit and no honey may be harvested.

The public has been asked to report their own hives, wild hives or abandoned hives.

Hives at infested premises are being euthanised by the Department using petrol or gas.

Hives are then burnt, as varroa mite larvae can survive in the honeycomb.

Within the eradication zone, baiting will be used on a grid system, using Fipronil syrup which is then brought back to the hive by the bees and kills both the honeybees and varroa mite.

The Department has stated the baiting is "carefully monitored and supervised to protect birds, mammals and native bees".

Native bees and native beehives are not covered under the Biosecurity Act and therefore can be moved legally in NSW.

Varroa mite does not present a risk to native bees and native bees are not a carrier of the mite, according to the Department.

However, native bee keepers are concerned that monitoring may not be adequate to prevent the poisoning of native hives.

"Our Australian native bees could be impacted by this parasite in a variety of ways," said Dr Anne Dollin of the Australian Native Bee Research Centre.

"The mites may increase the levels of serious bee viruses in the environment.

"The highly toxic pesticide, although it will be used as carefully as possible, could still affect our native bees."

Dr Dollin said varroa mites were tiny, button-shaped, red-brown parasites, about two millimetres wide.

"With their flat bodies, they can burrow between the plates on the abdomen of a European honeybee and feed on the bee's fat stores.

"This badly weakens the honeybee but, in addition, varroa mites can infect the honeybee with at least five serious bee viruses."

Dr Dollin said the safest action to take would be to move hives of native stingless bees completely out of the red Eradication Zone and adjacent areas.

"You need to move the hive at least three kilometres to prevent the foragers from trying to return to their previous location.

"If you need assistance with moving your native stingless bees or you do not have a safe location to take the hive to, Mr Dan Smailes of Sydney Native Bees has offered assistance. "Another option is to close up all entrances to your hive of native stingless bees while the eradication work is underway.

"It is currently mid winter. Native stingless bees often naturally hibernate in NSW for many weeks in cold weather.

"They have sufficient stores of food inside their hives to support the colony.

"You could close up the main entrance and any ventilation holes by covering them with a fine metal gauze or layer of gauzy fabric."

She said the same measures could be taken with wild nests of native stingless bees in trees.

The Cromellin Native Arboretum at Pearl Beach has a number of native stingless bee hives.





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