Sentinel Hive Program

Recently, I attended the Far North Coast field day in Alstonville, where guest speaker Daniel Martin, NSW DPI’s Beekeeping Biosecurity Officer, gave an informative presentation on the Sentinel Hive Program an- initiative set up across NSW to support ongoing surveillance for bee pests and diseases.

The program currently operates 20 sentinel hives hosted by participating clubs, each maintained using resources provided by DPI, with plans for expansion in the near future. Surveillance is carried out every six weeks, which includes placing sticky mats in hive trays to monitor mite drop and when required, collecting samples of bees for further analysis.

One of the most valuable aspects of the Sentinel Hive Program is its use as an educational tool. Clubs can use these hives to train members in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, such as brood breaks, drone brood removal, miticide strip application and maintaining good hive hygiene and practices.

The Far North Coast club also ran a hands-on session on American Foulbrood (AFB), demonstrating brood inspection techniques and performing the traditional matchstick “roping” test to identify signs of infection.

It was a fantastic opportunity to visit another club, learn from their approach, and exchange ideas. I look forward to visiting more clubs across our region and continuing to build connections through these shared learning experiences.