More than 800,000 bees stolen across far north Queensland in ‘sophisticated’ operation
Summary
Over 800,000 bees were stolen from several properties in far north Queensland, Australia, in a complex theft involving specialized equipment. The theft comes at a difficult time, as the bee industry is also dealing with the arrival of a parasite called the varroa mite, which harms bee colonies and is costly to control.Key Facts
- About 800,000 bees were stolen, taken from 44 hives across multiple properties in the Atherton Tablelands area.
- The thieves removed the brood boxes (where young bees grow) instead of whole hives to avoid early detection.
- The stolen bees are worth tens of thousands of dollars, plus the value lost from pollination contracts.
- No honey was stolen, only the bees and brood boxes.
- Police suspect the robbers may be commercial farmers or insiders from the beekeeping industry.
- The varroa mite parasite was recently found in far north Queensland and is difficult and expensive to control.
- Australia has spent over $100 million trying to stop the spread of the varroa mite since it first appeared in 2022.
- Scientists are working on new treatments using mRNA technology, but these are still a few years away.
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