Australia's Beekeepers Face a Losing Battle Against Varroa Mite Without More Support, Researchers Say

Australia was the last inhabited continent free of the Varroa destructor mite until the parasite was detected near Newcastle in June 2022 and rapidly spread along Australia's eastern coast. By September 2023, authorities had abandoned efforts to eradicate it entirely, and beekeepers are now having to manage the risks of infested hives, lower honey production and lost income under a national management program introduced in early 2024.

Varroa mites attach to honeybees and feed on them, impairing their development, immunity and behavior, and can carry bee-killing pathogens; left untreated, they can wipe out entire colonies. The mites spread between hives largely through normal bee activity, including "drifting," where confused bees enter the wrong hive, and "robbing," where bees from a strong colony raid a weaker one. Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory now have well-established Varroa populations, while Victoria and South Australia are bracing for wider infestations; Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory remain Varroa-free.

Managing Varroa relies on regular monitoring — typically washing about 300 bees from a hive in alcohol or soapy water to count mites — along with chemical or biotechnical treatment. Miticides that kill mites without harming bees are difficult to develop, some cannot be used above certain temperatures or during nectar flows, and mites in most Australian states have developed resistance to pyrethroid- and formamidine-based treatments in the past three years.

Without additional support — including training, colony donations to affected apiarists and financial help with treatment costs — the Australian Honeybee Council estimates that almost 40% of commercial beekeepers will leave the sector in the coming years, which researchers say would mean fewer bees pollinating crops and greater risk to farming communities and food security.