Which Diseases of Bees must be Notified
Note Number: AG0763
Published: July 2003
Updated: September 2010
Early recognition of a serious honey bee disease and pests is one of the most important factors influencing the chance of controlling the disease and reducing its economic and social impact on the community. The Government recognises this by defining some animal and bee diseases as “notifiable diseases” that must be reported in a defined timeframe.
This Agriculture note provides information on which honey bee diseases must be reported and how to do this.
Notifiable diseases are defined under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994. The obligations of beekeepers, vets, laboratories and others are outlined in the Act and its associated regulations and orders.
Diseases declared under the Act
The following diseases and conditions which may affect bees have been declared as notifiable diseases under the Act.
- Africanised bees
- American foulbrood disease
- Braula fly (Braula coeca)
- Chalk brood disease
- European foulbrood disease
- Nosema (Nosema apis)
- Small hive beetle (Aethina tumida)
- Tracheal mite (Acarapis woodi)
- Tropilaelaps mite (Tropilaelaps clarae)
- Varroa mite (Varroa destructor and Varroa jacobsoni)
The reporting requirements for these diseases are set out below.
Exotic diseases that must be reported immediately
These are diseases that do not occur in Australia:
- Africanised bees
- Tracheal mite (Acarapis woodi)
- Tropilaelaps mite (Tropilaelaps clarae)
- Varroa mite (Varroa destructor and Varroa jacobsoni).
If any of these diseases is suspected, a person must notify an Inspector of Livestock without delay and by the quickest means possible. The easiest way to do this is to ring the Disease Watch Hotline - 1800 675 888 (24 hours a day, every day of the year).
Diseases that must be reported within 12 hours
These are serious but not exotic diseases:
- American foulbrood disease
- Braula fly (Braula coeca)
- Small hive beetle (Aethina tumida)
If any of these diseases is suspected, a person must notify the:
Manager Animal Standards
Department of Primary Industries
Midland Highway
Bendigo Vic 3551
Telephone: (03) 5430 4525 (24 hours a day)
Fax: (03) 5430 4520
Diseases that must be reported within 7 days
These are important but less serious diseases:
- Chalk brood disease
- European foulbrood disease
- Nosema (Nosema apis).
If any of these diseases is suspected, a person must notify the Manager Animal Standards, as above.
However, a person need not report the diseases listed in this category if, within 7 days of knowing or suspecting the presence of the disease, the bees have been attended by a DPI apiary inspector, or if appropriate diagnostic specimens obtained from the bees are submitted to a registered veterinary diagnostic laboratory.
When an apiary is attended by an apiary inspector, the inspector must report the suspicion or presence of disease. Where specimens are submitted to a registered veterinary diagnostic laboratory, the laboratory becomes responsible for reporting.
These arrangements prevent multiple reporting and recording of disease incidents.
Who is obligated to report a notifiable disease?
A person knowing or having reason to suspect that a disease is present in bees, bee hives, components of bee hives or bee products:
- owned by that person or in the possession, control or charge of that person;
- on land owned and occupied by that person; or
- dealt with by that person as a veterinary practitioner, an inspector under the Export Control Act 1982, the owner or person in charge of premises registered as a veterinary diagnostic laboratory, or other person dealing with bees, bee products or hives by way of a profession, trade or business, must report the disease.
How long must records relating to diseases be kept?
Beekeepers and veterinary practitioners who report the presence of notifiable bee disease must keep any documents that support the suspicion or presence of the disease for a period of 7 years from the time the presence of the disease was identified.
Confidentiality of information
All notifications to the Department of Primary Industries are normally dealt with in the strictest confidence unless the owner authorises the release of the information. Information about the disease status of a property or hives can only be released if the Secretary of the Department determines that release of the information is in the public interest, eg if public health or international trade is compromised.
Disease investigations
Early detection of exotic disease is extremely important and any bees or honey bee brood with unusual signs should be reported to the nearest apiary inspector.
There are no Government charges for exotic animal disease investigations, including negative diagnoses.
Further information
Information on the field diagnosis of exotic and endemic honey bee diseases and parasites may be obtained from the following Agricultural Notes:
- AG1076 ‘Field diagnosis of exotic honey bee parasites and pests in beehives’;
- AG0990 ‘A Guide to the Field Diagnosis of Honey Bee Brood Diseases’.
Apiary officers
The following DPI apiary officers are available to provide additional advice:
Wangaratta: Joe Riordan, Telephone 5723 8668, Mobile 0417 348 457.
Bendigo: Daniel Martin, Telephone 5430 4621, Mobile 0428 752 449.
Bairnsdale: Ray Gribbin (Sept - April), Telephone 5152 0600, Mobile 0428 399 105.
Knoxfield: Russell Goodman, Telephone 9210 9324 (Tuesday & Wednesday).
Acknowledgements
This Agricultural Note was developed by Hilary Pope in July 2003.
It was reviewed by:
- Hilary Pope and Russell Goodman, Biosecurity Victoria, September 2010.
