The kiwifruit industry has a strong focus on ensuring orchard services agreements between orchardists and beekeepers are agreed ahead of the pollination season.

These conversations also provide the perfect opportunity to discuss mutual biosecurity requirements, as beekeepers need to supply growers with a copy of their Non-CAV Contractors Biosecurity Plan and orchardists also need to highlight their own site requirements.

There are a range of bee pests and diseases present in New Zealand, which are challenging for our hive providers, and there is value in both beekeepers and the public being on the lookout for the unusual, as there is always some level of risk that exotic bee pests and diseases could slip in across the border.

New incursions would have significant effects on both the beekeeping industry and the sectors they support. See a summary of bee pest and diseases here.

Bee biosecurity resources can be found on the Biosecurity New Zealand website, including their Bee Biosecurity Guide for beekeepers and Bee Biosecurity Essentials. A new research platform also gives beekeepers a chance to share their expertise to improve the health of the nation’s beehives.

Through pollination, growers can support bee biosecurity by providing bees with a clean water source, and by contacting their beekeeper if hives appear down on foraging activity, there are problems with swarming bees, or large numbers of dead hives are seen outside hive entrances. Hygiene is a key component of bee biosecurity so it is important that planned hive audits, and sugar feeding activities are also discussed as diseases can be transferred between hives by poor hygiene practices.

The importance of continuing to work with and learn from the apiculture industry was highlighted at one of our most popular 2024 Biosecurity Symposium sessions, featuring Danny Le Feuvre’s reflections from the Australian Varroa Mite response,