On 12 March, Biosecurity Tasmania placed a moratorium on the opening of beehives, harvest of honey and honeycomb, and movement of beekeeping equipment for any beekeepers that are in the 15km Bee Movement Restriction Area as declared in the General Biosecurity Direction.
On 21 April 2023, the 15km Bee Movement Restriction Area as declared in the General Biosecurity Direction was reduced to a 10km radius from the original Devonport detection site. On 3 May, a second small hive beetle was detected in East Devonport, within 1.4km of the initial detection in early March. This detection does not indicate that small hive beetle is established in Tasmania.
With no more small hive beetles found since 3 May 2023, Biosecurity Tasmania is implementing a staged process to ease restrictions. Effective from Tuesday 19 September 2023, the Bee Movement Restriction Area will be reduced from a radius of 10km to 5km. A map can be seen here: Bee Movement Restriction Area interactive map
All beekeepers within the 5km Bee Movement Restriction Area are asked to avoid opening beehives during this period.
If beekeepers within the 5km Bee Movement Restriction Area need to open beehives for feeding, honey harvest, removal of supers or winter pack down, please contact Biosecurity Tasmania on 6165 3777 to arrange a permit.
Unregistered beehives pose a risk of harbouring small hive beetle if they remain unchecked. This could have a serious long-term effect on the Tasmanian bee population and the honey and pollination sectors. For this reason, the moratorium on opening, moving and harvesting from beehives, and the movement of beekeeping equipment, has been extended to provide additional time for Biosecurity Tasmania to ensure they have found and checked ALL beehives in the area. Please help us by registering your hives.
Opening a beehive increases the risk that if small hive beetle is present in a beehive, it might leave the hive and enter the environment. Small hive beetle can also be spread on and in a range of beekeeping equipment and bee products.
Specific details on restrictions due to the moratorium can be seen below:
Risk
| Commercial Beekeeper
| Recreational Beekeeper
|
Bees, hives and beekeeping equipment
|
Move bees between hives
(including hives on the same
property)
| No
| No
|
Open hives to inspect for pests
| No. Contact Biosecurity Tasmania.
| No. Contact Biosecurity Tasmania.
|
Open hives on bee welfare
grounds without the presence of Biosecurity Tasmania
| No. Contact Biosecurity Tasmania.
| No. Contact Biosecurity Tasmania.
|
Conduct maintenance on hives e.g., manipulate or swap any hive elements, including boxes (super
or brood), frames, lids, bases, queen excluders, mats (propolis or hive), internal feeders, boards
(clearer or divider), honey,
propolis, royal jelly or any
portion of the colony (queens, workers, drones, larvae or eggs)
| No. Contact Biosecurity Tasmania.
| No. Contact Biosecurity Tasmania.
|
Move used beekeeping equipment (including on my property)
| No
| No
|
Honey and honeycomb
|
Harvest honey and honeycomb from hives
| No
| No
|
Bee products (other than honey and honeycomb)
|
| Move and sell commercially-produced products that comprise or contain melted and refined beeswax | Yes
| No
|
Bee products at market stalls (other than honey and honeycomb)
|
| Move and sell products for sale at market stalls that comprise or contain melted and refined beeswax | Yes
| Contact Biosecurity Tasmania
|
Summary of restrictions within the Bee Movement Restriction Area (PDF 41Kb)