Varroa mites have been found in hives at a port in Newcastle, threatening the bee population of New South Wales. The government has also imposed a rule needing all hives within ten kilometers of the port to be destroyed.

At stake is the future of agriculture in Australia, as most pollination comes from the European Honey Bee.

The measures to control the mites’ spread will cost beekeepers millions of dollars, devastating beekeepers across the state.

Image: Image: CSIRO

Produced By: Roderick Chambers

Featured In Story: Dr. John Roberts, Research Scientist from CSIRO

First aired on The Wire, Monday 27 June 2022