The NSW DPI is confident about eradication of the varroa mite as the Hunter's final infected beehives are euthanised

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) told the Newcastle Herald Wednesday morning that hives had been euthanised on 97 of the state's 99 infected premises - with the recently identified sites at Mayfield and Calga to be visited later that day.

Speaking in Civic Park , NSW DPI chief plant protection officer Dr Satendra Kumar said the state is "in a good place to contain and eradicate the mite".

More than 6000 hives have been euthanised in NSW.

"The infected properties are mostly in what we call the the hot zone - Newcastle, Medowie and Williamtown," Dr Kumar said.

"It is a challenging time for beekeepers, especially the beekeepers in NSW in the red zone. They are at war for the rest of the country."

The focus of euthanasia, Dr Kumar said, will now shift to domestic hives in the eradication zone which are not infected.

"Part of the response is to get all hives within the red zone," he said.

"Our estimation is by the end of September they will be done. Then we can look at feral bees and the baiting program.

"Once that is done we will have a regular monitoring program to know if we have achieved success or not."

On Saturday, the DPI announced the varroa mite eradication focus was shifting to a "euthanasia and disposal phase" following extensive surveillance around the perimeter of the zone.

Dr Kumar said, through surveillance, the DPI is now confident the mite can be eradicated from NSW through euthanasia and baiting.

"From day one I have said this is a difficult challenge and if you look across the globe a lot of places didn't even bother because by the time they got it, it was pretty widespread," he said.

"Our focus in the first four weeks was to really be able to determine the limits of the spread. If it was found everywhere then obviously we would be out of the eradication and in the management frame.

"At this stage we are confident the mite is quite limited."

Around 600 feral bees are reported to have been infected according to Dr Kumar. He said due to incorrect reporting and double reporting this number was yet to be verified.

"Feral bees are part and parcel of the program and if don't get on top of it there are chances of losing the battle," he said.

"Some of the areas like Wards River will be cleared shortly so we can get on to baiting that area."

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