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Norfolk Island Flora & Fauna Society

Bee survey 2022

Updated on date by author

The honey bee population on Norfolk Island is unique from a pest and disease perspective. No other honey bee population in the world has fewer pests and pathogens. This important finding was confirmed in 2022 by a survey by Dr John Roberts of CSIRO. The report recommended that ongoing surveillance in Norfolk Island as part of the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program be resourced. Read the report here. The report can also be found on the Department’s website: Norfolk Island bee pest survey 2021–2022. The Department has summarised the results as follows:

 

“Honey bees are an important part of the ecosystem and culture of Norfolk Island. Honey bees support food security through reliable pollination services as well as producing honey and hive products. Having access to up-to-date information on bee pests and diseases is critical to maintaining the Island’s bee biosecurity.

In December 2022 and April 2023, Dr John Roberts visited Norfolk Island to conduct surveys of the honey bee population. Under the guidance of Norfolk Island’s beekeepers, Dr Roberts collected samples from bees, honey and hives to test for pests and diseases. He sampled 67 bee colonies (approximately 50% of all managed colonies) and inspected and tested for 16 pests and diseases.

The key findings of the survey are:

  • Since the last 2012–14 survey, no new honey bee pests or diseases were detected in Norfolk Island honey bees.
  • All previously reported pests and diseases were detected, including
    • high prevalence and infection levels of the gut parasite, Nosema ceranae
    • high prevalence of Lake Sinai virus, a common bee virus group with no known disease
    • low detection of the lesser wax moth (Achroia gresella), a minor hive pest.
  • The honey bee population on Norfolk Island is unique from a pest and disease perspective. No other honey bee population in the world has fewer pests and pathogens.

The report made three recommendations:

  • Permit only commercial importation of certified irradiated honey into Norfolk Island.
  • Resource ongoing surveillance in Norfolk Island as part of the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program.
  • Registration for all Norfolk Island beekeepers and encouraging beekeepers to perform regular hive inspections in line with Australia’s Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice.

 

Posted in Insects, Invasive Species, Weak Biosecurity |

Quarantine (pests and diseases) Survey 2012-14

Updated on date by author

In 2012-2014 the Department of Agriculture conducted a comprehensive survey of the plant and animal pests and diseases of the Island, coordinated by resident Glynn Maynard. The report is publicly available.

Supporting data

The data amassed during the survey have been published open access as appendices to the following paper:

Maynard, G V, B J Leschi and S F Malfroy. 2018. “Norfolk island quarantine survey 2012-2014 – a comprehensive assessment of an isolated subtropical island“. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales Vol. 140: 7-243.

 

Posted in Introduced Flora, Invasive Fauna, Invasive Species, Publications by Others, Weak Biosecurity |

Bee security

Updated on date by author

Norfolk Island has an extremely healthy European bee population. The first European bees recorded on Norfolk Island were in the 1840s when the convict settlement was operational.

The Norfolk bees are free from European and American Foulbrood and we have no hive beetles or Varroa mite. The spores for European and American Foulbrood are able to survive in untreated honey and on bee equipment for at least 80 years. No importation of used bee equipment (which includes clothing and shoes) is allowed into Norfolk Island.

Unfortunately since 2016 (when Australia assumed control of Norfolk Island) 750g of untreated honey for personal use is allowed to be imported by anybody with the one proviso that it is “not to be fed to bees.”

To keep this bee population safe we requested that Norfolk Island become part of the Australian Sentinel Hive programme. As part of that programme we have set up sentinel hives at all the first points of entry on Norfolk Island. If there is an incursion of a pest or disease then these hives hopefully will be the first affected and that will give us a fighting chance to treat/eradicate any invader.

We monitor the sentinel hives on the first of each month and use different techniques to check for a variety of pests/diseases and this information is then  immediately passed on to Plant Health Australia who collate all the information from all the sentinel hives scattered around first points of entry on mainland Australia.

We have put in a submission  to the Commonwealth of Australia to have Norfolk Island declared a Bee Sanctuary but the response from the Commonwealth is that such a declaration is a State function and as Norfolk Island is a Territory not a State no sanctuary is possible.

 

Merv Buffett

Clare McPherson

Posted in Other Invertebrates, Weak Biosecurity |