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Asian honey bee (Apis cerana)

Asian honey bees are a biosecurity concern in Australia because they can carry bee diseases and pests, and are the natural host of Varroa jacobsoni. Feral infestations may compete with other bees for resources, and their stings can cause anaphylactic reactions in allergy-prone people.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, invertebrate.

Native to: South-East Asia.

Established in: QLD.

Identification

  • The bee is approximately 10 mm long.
  • It is smaller and less hairy than the European honey bee.
  • Its abdomen has pronounced black or brown and yellow stripes.
  • It protects its nesting site and may sting when threatened.
  • Look-alike: It can be confused with European honey bees and local native bees; compared with the European honey bee, it is smaller, less hairy, and has pronounced black or brown and yellow stripes.

Where it lives

In Australia, it occurs in Far North Queensland around Cairns, with the known infested area extending north to Cape Tribulation, including Rossville and Cooktown, west of Southedge, Dimbulah and Ravenshoe, and south to Cardwell; it nests in tree hollows, under eaves, in walls and floorboards, and in urban objects such as letterboxes, cable reels and compost bins.

Why it matters

  • It can transmit bee diseases and pests, and is the natural host of Varroa jacobsoni.
  • Feral infestations may compete with other bees for floral resources.
  • Stings may cause anaphylactic reactions in allergy-prone people.

How it spreads

  • Colonies may abscond from nest sites and travel up to 10 km.
  • It reproduces slightly more quickly than the European honey bee.
  • Asian honey bees were previously detected and eradicated at the Ports of Townsville and Brisbane, where surveillance is ongoing; reports from south-western Brisbane in June 2026 are being investigated.

Control methods

  • Report all suspect bees to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours by phoning 13 25 23, including swarms or nests you have destroyed.
  • Provide a sample of the bees to the Biological Sciences Laboratory where possible.
  • Have a licensed pest control operator remove bees swarming or nesting on your property; confirm their identity first, as European honey bees and local native bees should not be destroyed.
  • If you suspect a new incursion at an international airport or seaport, call the Australian Government on 1800 798 636.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Check your vessel, vehicle or trailer before travelling long distances.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Restricted matter, category 1. Report it to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Prohibited matter. It is an offence to deal with it, and you must notify NSW DPIRD as soon as you become aware of it.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1), prohibited. C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD. It must not be brought into WA (prohibited organism).
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Not a declared pest. Not on an NT declared or prohibited list. Check with the NT Government before keeping, moving or releasing it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Declared pest, notifiable, prohibited. It is a declared pest throughout the ACT. You must report it to ACT Biosecurity. Dealing with it, such as selling, moving or keeping it, is prohibited.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)

Sources