The number of varroa mite detections in the Kempsey area of the NSW Mid North Coast has grown to 13 in just over a week. The cluster has expanded to the coastline, with one of the latest detections made at Crescent Head. The second detection was at Euroka, which was already within an existing red zone. The new sites bring the total number of infested premises across the state to 212.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries said it was yet to find the source of the Kempsey outbreak. Crop Pollination Association of Australia president Steve Fuller said that was concerning: "We still believe that they haven't found the mother lode yet or traceability or how it got there, where's it going to stop. I know they're working hard on it, but the traceability is going to be where else has it spread to, is the whole greater Kempsey lit up, we don't know, and they're surveilling it."
Source: abc.net.au