By now you've probably heard about something called the varroa mite that was found in the Port of Newcastle last week.
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Since then, the NSW Government has issued a statewide freeze on moving beehives as crews get to work euthanising all beehives within a 10-kilometre radius of the port.
It's all because of the aforementioned varroa, a parasite that destroys hives, bees and larvae that, for now, has no presence in Australia.
It's a situation that Southern Highlands beekeeper and owner of The Honey Thief in Bowral Deborah McLaughlin says requires constant vigilance.
"It's just very concerning if it extends beyond that radius," she told the News.
"It would be devastating for the honey industry. I do think it's only a matter of time being the only country in the world that doesn't have varroa mite.
"Bees are responsible for the production of a third of our food. They play a vital role in pollination of a lot of our crops and it will be devastating to the bee population in Australia if we do actually have varroa mite in our hives.
"We have to be incredibly vigilant now."
She says beginners to the beekeeping trade, be they commercial or just as a hobby, being clued in to what is happening is vital
"If you are thinking about being a beekeeper the important thing is you have that registration in place with the Department of Primary Industries [DPI] so they can contact you if there is an issue.
Scott Williams of Bees R Us in Braidwood echoed her statements and revealed he has set himself a mission to help educate new beekeepers.
"My main goal is to educate people especially beginners who aren't as clued up as to what they're looking for," he said.
"It's about the quarter of the size of a dung beetle and looks red-orange. So people need to do their hive inspections and be vigilant. Know what you're looking for."
While he said he wasn't concerned at this point due to the pace at which authorities had taken action, he remains resigned to the reality that varroa will likely make its way to our shores once again
"It's one of those things that we will get eventually," he explained.
"Australia is the only country in the world that doesn't have it. It travels on the Asian Honey Bee so it it has to do is travel over on a drift or swarm.
"We'll get it eventually whether it's this week or in 10 years."
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