Mr Fenlon (pictured) is one of 10 urban beekeepers taking part in a Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) trial to halt an invasion of a parasite that threatens to destroy bees and with them the state's $90-million-a-year honey industry and the food we eat.

Mr Fenlon uses a specially modified cargo bicycle to tend to almost 30 hives spread around the backyards of his friends and neighbours.

The trial, Bee Force, is designed as a front-line defence against the arrival of the devastating foreign bee pest Varroa mite.

"For anybody who eats food it's important to keep the Varroa mite out. It could devastate all food production, not just honey, and halt pollination of all other food crops, so the trial is crucial," Mr Fenlon said.

Varroa mite is likely to arrive by ship. Hives set up close to ports are crucial to checking on bee health.

If the mite is discovered in a hive, it and the mite are destroyed.

Bees are vital in the pollination of a range of fruits, vegetables and crops.

"Urban beekeepers play a crucial role in biosecurity for the pollination industry.

"We have the time to carefully observe and check our hives and can pick up straightaway if something is wrong," Mr Fenlon said.

"I think it's essential that everyone who keeps bees should know what to look for – how to observe their bees for problems, how to identify different pests and diseases, and how to report them to the authorities."