Arabic version: نقل نحل من أستراليا الغربية إلى مزارع اللوز في جنوب أستراليا

According to ABC News, more than 7,500 healthy West Australian beehives are being transported across the Nullarbor to support pollination at South Australian almond farms. The one-way delivery follows severe losses of wild and managed bee colonies in eastern Australia linked to varroa mite.

Three prime movers carrying mite-free bees had crossed the South Australian border, with another two trucks expected to travel in the following days. A dozen WA beekeepers brought hives to collection points at Donnybrook, Gingin and Esperance. The bees were bought by a commercial almond grower in a deal understood to exceed $2.3 million, with beekeepers receiving $350 per hive.

WA beekeeper Steve Sannut said the hives were due to arrive for the opening of almond flowers, which he said could be predicted to the precise day. He said the trucks were operated by two drivers travelling non-stop, while hive entrances remained open so bees could move outside if temperatures became too high. Mr Sannut said the arrangement was beneficial for WA producers after favourable conditions following last year’s rain.

However, he said the transferred colonies were likely to eventually be affected by varroa mite in South Australia. WA remains free of the parasite, but local beekeepers have called for stronger biosecurity protections. The WA government said its Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development was conducting surveillance at ports and airports, including 40 sentinel hives, catch boxes, floral sweeps and aerial pheromone monitoring at high-risk entry points.

Bee Industry Council of Western Australia chair Kate Byrne said varroa had killed most wild bees in the eastern states since entering Australia in 2022 and was now decimating managed hives. She cited an estimated shortfall of 290,000 hives for August pollination on the east coast and said crop-pollination decisions were increasingly necessary. The council is exploring options including AI-capable detection units along the Nullarbor.