THE impact of an outbreak of a destructive mite would be felt far beyond the state's beehives, according to a Bathurst keeper.
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George Hancock, who is the president of Bathurst Beekeepers, says the varroa mite getting loose in Australia is the incursion that the industry has been worrying about.
The NSW Government announced on Sunday that a statewide emergency order had been issued to control the movement of bees across NSW following the detection of varroa mite at the Port of Newcastle on Friday.
The emergency order means no bees are allowed to be moved across NSW.
IN OTHER NEWS AROUND BATHURST:
Mr Hancock said Australia had been surrounded by varroa mite - which is in New Zealand, Fiji and Indonesia - for some time.
"It was right on our doorstep.
"We were the only continent that did not have it. Hopefully, they [authorities] are able to contain it."
He suspects, though can't know for sure, that the mites detected at the Port of Newcastle (in what is known as "a sentinel hive") came from off a moored ship.
"Bees can fly three to four kilometres," he said.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries says varroa mites (Varroa jacobsoni and V. destructor) are the "most serious pest of honey bees worldwide", killing any beehive they infect if they are left untreated.
Mr Hancock said almonds, zucchinis and avocados are all commercially pollinated by beekeepers and all have the potential to be affected by orders in place in NSW to stop bee movements.
In the next few weeks, he said, trucks will be trying to get to almond properties for pollination in "one of the major movements of bees in Australia".
If those bees aren't able to make that journey because of statewide orders, the trees simply won't get pollinated, he said.