Stunned Canterbury beekeepers have a nerve-racking few days ahead as they wait for confirmation of an infestation of the devastating varroa bee mite.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has imposed movement controls on bees and hives in North Canterbury after the tiny pest, capable of destroying whole bee colonies, wasdetected in laboratory tests on Friday.
The suspected discovery at an Oxford apiary threatens to cost the economy more than $300 million over the next 30 years.
MAF varroa programme co-ordinator Paul Bolger said more tests were being done to confirm whether the mite had reached the South Island.
Mr Bolger, who hoped further results would be in tonight, said MAF had no idea how big the problem was.
"At the moment we're not even 100 per cent certain we have an occurrence. The next 24 hours are nerve-racking, until we get our results and we can tell where we're at."
It was possible the positive test was because of contamination from previous tests. The mite has already ripped through the North Island, being first found in 2000.
Varroa, a reddish-brown, oval mite 1mm to 2mm long, found on the outside of adult honey bees, is not dangerous to humans and does not affect honey.
Widespread around the world, it attacks honey bees and their larvae, and wipes out hives by killing the bees needed to pollinate pastures and crops.
