HILO, Hawaii -- The state's plan to control a mite infestation now includes killing every bee within five miles of Hilo Harbor.

The Varroa mite is a parasite that weakens bee populations. It's widespread around the world and on Oahu, but limited to Hilo on the Big Island. The states use of pesticide baits there is apparently not working.

"It's an emergency because the numbers indicate the population is moving the infested area is expanding," said Lyle Wong, with the Department of Agriculture.

Big Island agriculture, especially macadamia farms, depend on commercial beekeepers who bring truck in their hives to pollinate the orchards right at this time of year, but they are delaying pollination because of the threat mites will infect their hives.

"They need to bring them in -- those orchards are flowering right now," Wong said.

Wong said the new plan is to bring in a stronger pesticide, put it in more than 200 bait stations around Hilo Harbor and within 15 days, kill every wild bee and destroy every feral hive in Hilo and the mites with them.

"One thing is certain we have an infestation now in Hilo and if we don't knock it out it will spread throughout the island," Wong said.

Wong said the pesticide shouldn't affect other insects. If the $100,000 plan doesn't work he said the beekeeping industry will have to spend much more than that to manage the mite problem in their hives.

The Department of Agriculture said the pesticide should not affect people, but it is warning Hilo-area residents not to eat honey from wild bee hives. The state also said the natural bee population should return to normal not long after the eradication, so gardeners and small farmers should not worry about the lack of bees.