Varroa mite
Varroa mite (V. destructor) is the most serious pest affecting honey bees worldwide. It remains a key threat to Australia’s honey and honey bee pollination plant industries.
Outbreak in Australia
Varroa mite was detected in June 2022 and an emergency response was initiated, supported by the Australian Government, state and territory governments, and pollination-dependent agricultural industries.
Initial eradication efforts were led by the NSW Department of Primary Industries, being the state most affected by the pest. It was the largest agricultural biosecurity response in Australia to date, but it was ultimately unsuccessful.
South Australia remains free of varroa mite.
Transition to management (T2M)
In September 2023, the National Management Group agreed it was not feasible to eradicate varroa mite. A 24-month plan was approved in February 2024 to assist industry and the community to transition to management.
This plan minimises the effects of varroa mite naturalisation and slows the spread, with a focus on:
- business continuity for pollination-dependent industries
- training beekeepers to manage varroa mite and maintain healthy hives
- providing a reliable webinar series relevant to best practices in an Australian context.
Varroa Development Officers will engage with beekeepers to resolve problems and coordinate a voluntary hive monitoring program. Industry concerns, knowledge gaps and future needs will also be addressed.
Biosecurity assistance will be available through updates to the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice and the Bee Biosecurity Manual. This will help beekeepers with pest and disease prevention and control.
The T2M plan enables interstate diagnostic laboratories to detect varroa mite and associated exotic viruses quickly, initiating efficient responses.
Read more in the National varroa mite response plan – T2M detailed summary ().
SA advisory committee
SA advisory committee
A South Australian Advisory Committee has been established to manage varroa mite, in support of the bee industry. It includes expert representatives from:
- Beekeepers Society of South Australia
- South Australian Apiarists Association
- Australian Honey Bee Industry Council
- large commercial beekeepers
- pollination dependant industries.
PIRSA works closely with this committee in developing plans and policies.
Industry updates and information
Industry updates and information
Research into improved bee genetics and breeding behaviour traits to help manage varroa mite is being examined in Australia and internationally.
T2M webinars
Education resources
- Introduction to managing varroa mites – Tocal College (completing this free course is required for entry permits into SA)
- Hive management options – NSW DPI: Primefact
- Varroa mites – Plant Heath Australia
- Varroa mites – Bee Aware
Support services
If you have been impacted by varroa mite, contact your local Family and Business mentor for support.
This free, confidential triage service connects you to independent providers across SA. They will listen to your needs, provide counselling, and help to manage your situation.
Response in SA
PIRSA is preventing varroa mites entering the state with border control measures. This relies on beekeepers monitoring their hives, maintaining records, and submitting sampling results.
We are working with industry groups to promote awareness of risks and preventative measures, making sure SA is prepared for the expected arrival of varroa mites. PIRSA is committed to providing the following, free to all beekeepers:
- national education, training, and awareness packages as they are developed
- additional regional information sessions in 2024.
We continue to update our response plan against the evolving situation. This includes assessing the entry restrictions of bees, apiary products, and equipment into SA.
Actions following potential detections
Actions following potential detections
If varroa mites are confirmed in SA, we will notify registered beekeepers, including the approximate locality. Updates will be sent via:
- this webpage
- the biosecurity notice bulletin emails and SMS
- social media posts.
PIRSA will assist with distributing acaricides and surveillance materials when detections occur. In the longer term, individual beekeepers will be responsible for managing varroa mites.
The South Australian Government will not conduct enforced euthanasia of hives.
Varroa mites will remain a notifiable pest and affected hives must be managed at the discretion of the individual beekeeper.
Chemical treatments
Chemical treatments
Acaricides are currently not permitted in South Australia as there have been no varroa detections. Several products have emergency permits for surveillance use and will be made available if an outbreak occurs.
PIRSA will approach beekeeping suppliers to gauge their interest in being an approved supplier on a range of these permits and product labels.
Acaricides – only applicable if approved in SA
Acaricides are one of the last measures that should be used. Always follow the label directions of the product, including the potential withholding period before extraction, or residue testing.
If applying acaricides as part of your management program, you should monitor:
- for economic threshold levels of mites prior to application
- post application to assess effectiveness of the management tool.
The annual cost of acaricide treatments could be around $50 to $60 per hive, based on 4 treatments per year.
Beekeeper responsibilities
It is critical to maintain bee biosecurity measures, including record keeping and registration.
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Register your hives >
New and ongoing beekeepers must register their hive details to protect the industry from possible outbreaks of varroa mite.
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Learn how to sample >
Beekeepers should continue sampling a representative number of hives and send suspicious samples to PIRSA for analysis.
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Reduce the risk of varroa mites >
As a beekeeper or almond pollinator, you need to monitor and control the health of your hives.
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Bee movement restrictions >
Learn your requirements and restrictions for moving bees, hives, apiary products, and beekeeping property.
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If you find signs of varroa mites or non-compliance with the above requirements, immediately notify the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline.
Identification and impact
Varroa mites are tiny reddish-brown external parasites of honey bees. Individual mites can be easily seen on brood, but they are difficult to identify on adult bees.
Varroa mites partially hidden under honey bee abdominal segments – photo: Dr M. Goodwin
If left untreated, varroa mites will kill any beehive or colony they infect.
Varroa mites are agile, they move into hives quickly and transfer through contact between bees. Adult bees can carry this pest between hives and even between apiaries when drifting, swarming and absconding.
Mites can also spread via the beekeeper and equipment shared between hives and apiaries.
Learn more in the notifiable honey bee pests and diseases factsheet ().
Contact
PIRSA Apiary Unit
Email: pirsa.beebiosecurity@sa.gov.au
Phone: 8207 7900
Apiary registration: 1800 654 688
Report a suspected exotic apiary pest: 1800 084 881