![Business owner of James the Honey Man, James Wardrope. Picture by Emily Walker Business owner of James the Honey Man, James Wardrope. Picture by Emily Walker](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ruby.pascoe/4febeb5b-50da-4154-9b48-d29039f6b58b.JPG/r0_82_1946_1180_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
There are now 13 properties found to have varroa mite in the Kempsey region.
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The first detection was made just over a week ago through a beekeeper undertaking a mandatory 16-week alcohol wash and reporting suspected mites.
The varroa mite cluster has now spread to the coastline at Crescent Head and further south at Euroka.
Across the state, the total infested premises are now at 213.
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) confirmed an additional detection at Kundabung following a self-reported alcohol wash by a beekeeper on Wednesday, August 23.
![The new detections have expanded the red zone to the coastline at Crescent Head and further south. Picture, DPI The new detections have expanded the red zone to the coastline at Crescent Head and further south. Picture, DPI](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ruby.pascoe/0be6043c-4ae0-47de-a1b5-4150fd4fe5c2.png/r0_0_1238_710_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
James Wardrope, business owner of James the Honey Man, is now in the red zone.
Mr Wardrope has 50 hives at Kundabung and has been in operation for two years.
"After yesterday, I'm now in the red zone and have to destroy 50 perfectly good hives," he said.
"I've been doing the alcohol washes and there are no mites in my hives whatsoever."
DPI held a briefing on August 22 in Kempsey with about 100 commercial and recreational beekeepers.
![James Wardrope will have to destroy 50 hives on his property at Kundabung which is now in the red zone. Picture supplied by James Wardrope James Wardrope will have to destroy 50 hives on his property at Kundabung which is now in the red zone. Picture supplied by James Wardrope](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ruby.pascoe/5fa8a55a-5da2-4359-b030-803ad0a5be78.jpg/r0_431_1536_1256_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Wardrope attended the meeting and said beekeepers were told "nothing we didn't already know".
"DPI can't keep destroying hives that don't have the mite just because they're in the red zone," he said. "It's not right."
Mr Wardrope said DPI will destroy his hives in the coming weeks.
"It's quite sad for everyone who's affected. We need to learn to live with it because I don't think DPI will ever eradicate the mite," Mr Wardrope said.
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