This protects the honey industry as well as the valuable pollination services derived from managed honeybee colonies.
Apiary inspectors certify honeybees for movement intrastate, interstate, and internationally.
Regulated pests and diseases include American foulbrood disease, Varroa mite, and unwanted races of honeybees. Inspectors collect and submit samples to the food lab for certification as Tupelo honey and certify honey for foreign export. There are more than 200,000 honeybee colonies in Florida apiaries. The Department has the most active state program in the United States to prevent the accidental introduction of this pest. Hundreds of bait hives are being monitored at 14 Florida ports, along the Florida-Alabama border, and at strategic locations along Interstate Highway 10.