TASPORTS took the opportunity on World Bee Day this month to explore the role of bees in protecting Australia’s biodiversity, beginning in ports.
TasPorts said Australia has thousands of native bee species, many of which are endemic to Tasmania.
As part of the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program TasPorts hosts a number of sentinel hives across its multi-port system.
“[TasPorts’] hives help ensure Tasmania remains free of exotic pest bees and regionalised pests that may arrive in shipping containers or other products,” TasPorts said.
The NBPSP was set up as an early warning system to detect new incursions of exotic bee pests and pest bees at Australia’s ports and airports.
Teams check the hives every six weeks in addition to a range of surveillance methods implemented to ensure the hives remain healthy and free of pests.
The NBPSP is jointly funded by the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Grain Producers Australia, the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, Hort Innovation, as well as volunteer beekeepers.
