Varroa mite: Butterworth

NSW DPI chief plant protection officer Satendra Kumar said the eradication "red" zone had been "expanded slightly to the west" to include an area around the Butterworth detection.

Mr Kumar said the three detections brought the total to 59 since the mite was detected in the Port of Newcastle on June 22, and an Biosecurity Emergency Order was in place.

"NSW DPI has put significant measures in place to arrest the spread of the threat any further and has been working with apiary industry bodies and stakeholders to ensure all 13,000 registered commercial and recreational beekeepers in the State are up to date with the latest information," Mr Kumar said.

"We are continuing to work closely with the apiary and horticultural industries to ensure beekeepers are able to manage their hives to prevent swarming as the weather warms up and that they can safely move hives for pollination.

"It's critical that we take every precaution to ensure the threat is contained, but it's also vital that the industry is able to safely continue operations where possible so that beekeepers and producers can maintain their businesses."

Australia has until this outbreak remained the only major honey producing country free from varroa mite, the most serious pest of honeybees worldwide.

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