Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Emily Middleton

‘They’re like family’: honeybees and businesses destroyed as varroa mite spreads in NSW

honey bees
The NSW honey bee industry has been ravaged by the varroa mite, which was first detected in surveillance hives in the Port of Newcastle last year. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Denille Banham, the co-owner of Costa Honey in Kempsey, has struggled to come to terms with the loss of her business.

She sent 480 beehives to Griffith to fulfil pollination contracts and another 300 to Crescent Head. It would have been a windfall season, were it not for the varroa mite.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.