National Sentinel Hive Program

The National Sentinel Hive Program (NSHP) was established in 2000 to enhance post-border monitoring around Australia for exotic pests of honey bees, including varroa mite, tropilaelaps mite, tracheal mite and Asian honeybee.

Early detection of these exotic pests is critical to the chances of eradicating an incursion and to limiting the size and cost of an eradication program.

The program is implemented nationally through the expertise of state apiary officers and cooperating beekeepers.

The establishment of the NSHP was inspired by the late Dr David Banks, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), and Mr Trevor Weatherhead, a former Quarantine Liaison Officer with the Australian Honeybee Industry Council.

Management

Biosecurity Australia, a division of DAFF, managed the program until July 2006 when responsibility was transferred to the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer (DAFF). At this time, the program was primarily funded by in-kind contributions from DAFF, apiarists and state and territory governments.

In November 2008, the Australian Government committed to significant funding of the NSHP for two years, commencing July 2009 to June 2011, based on a business plan and funding model to formalise the operating arrangements.  Animal Health Australia (AHA) is contracted to deliver the program services to include the completion of quarterly inspections (sentinel bee hives and coconut log traps), subsequent laboratory work and the reporting of results into the National Animal Health Information System.  State and territory animal health agencies continue to be the primary service providers and work closely with cooperating beekeepers.

The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation is currently reviewing bee pest and disease surveillance activities within Australia.  Changes to the future operations of the National Sentinel Hive Program may be required and AHA has agreed with DAFF to negotiate changes to the operation of the NSHP.

How the program works

The NSHP operates in seven Australian jurisdictions at sea and airports where significant volumes of imported cargo and/or regular berthing of vessels are received from international locations where exotic pests of honeybees are known to occur. Under the supervision of state apiary officers, sampling of sentinel hives occurs quarterly at each location.

Sampling for varroa and tropilaelaps mites involves housing acaricidal strips in sentinel hives for 1–2 days and concurrently placing adhesive entomological paper in the bottom of each hive to ‘catch’ killed mites. The entomological paper is removed after 1-2 days and submitted to diagnostic laboratories, where it is examined for the presence of exotic parasitic bee mites (e.g. varroa mite). Laboratory based inspection of entire bees is conducted to detect the presence of tracheal mites. Animal Health Australia maintains minor use permits (issued by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) for acaricidal products that are not yet registered for use in Australia.

In addition to sampling for mites in northern Australian ports, the NSHP deploys log traps that are baited with pheromones which attract the Asian honeybee (Apis cerana). Log traps are also visually inspected quarterly.

All monitoring results are collated and entered quarterly into the National Animal Health Information System and reported in Animal Health Surveillance Quarterly Report.

The finding of any exotic mites or exotic bee species is legally notifiable to the state or territory animal health authority.

EMERGENCY DISEASE WATCH HOTLINE 1800 675 888

For further information please contact the relevant state or territory coordinator listed below.

National Sentinel Hive Program Coordinators

Page updated: 4 September 2009