Varroa mite (Varroa destructor)

Varroa destructor (varroa mite) attacks European honeybees (Apis mellifera). It’s thought to be one of the greatest threats to Australia’s honey and honey bee pollination plant industries.

Detection in Australia

Victoria

In August 2024, varroa mite was detected in a hive at a property near Mildura, Victoria, during surveillance activities carried out by Agriculture Victoria. It is the first time the pest has been detected outside NSW.

The risk of spread is being managed, however there will be no eradication program for varroa mite in Victoria.

NSW

In June 2022, varroa mite was first detected in NSW in sentinel hives  during routine surveillance by NSW Bee Biosecurity Officers at the Port of Newcastle. A national response to manage the biosecurity risk and spread, and protect the agricultural industry followed. In September 2023, it was agreed that it was not technically feasible to eradicate varroa mite.

The NSW DPIRD maintains an interactive heat map showing the current distribution and spread of varroa mite on the NSW DPIRD website.

In 2016, 2019 and 2020, Varroa jacobsoni was detected on recently arrived hitchhiker Asian honeybees in Townsville. Under the National Varroa Mite Eradication Program, the bees were declared eradicated in February 2021.

Response program

In September 2023, the National Management Group (NMG) – the peak decision-making body for the national varroa mite emergency response – decided that eradication of varroa mite was no longer achievable and to shift the focus of the response from eradication to transitioning to management activities.

In  February 2024, the NMG endorsed a transition to management with a scope to: 

• ensure an orderly stand-down of emergency response operational activities in NSW and Victoria 
• slow the spread of Varroa destructor
• build industry resilience to the pest
• provide management options including Integrated Pest Management (IPM) recommendations and chemical control options, and
• support pollination security.

The transition to management program is to increase resilience and capacity to manage varroa mite within the Australian honey bee industry and minimise the ongoing impacts of varroa mite naturalisation on the bee industry and pollination reliant industries.

Varroa mite remains a key threat to Australia’s honey and honey bee pollination plant industries, and it is important that government and industry continue to work together to manage this pest.

Your obligations

Biosecurity

Bee keepers should still maintain good biosecurity practices and check their hives regularly for signs of pests and disease.

See the BeeAware website for information and resources.

Report sightings

If you suspect an exotic pest or disease outbreak, report it. Even if you’re not sure.

Call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. This will put you in touch with your state or territory’s biosecurity agency.

For signs of exotic bees and pests in imported goods, sea containers or parcels, call See. Secure. Report on 1800 798 636 or use our online form.

Follow the rules

Keep exotic dangerous pests and diseases out of Australia. Never ignore our strict biosecurity rules.

Import shipments may need to be treated and certified. Before you import, check our Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON).

Movement restrictions

Check state and territory restrictions on the entry of bees, beehives, bee keeping equipment and bee products:

• New South Wales
• Queensland
• Victoria
• Tasmania
• South Australia
• Australian Capital Territory
• Western Australia

About the pest

Varroa destructor is an external parasitic mite that attacks European honey bees and the Asian honey bee (Apis cerana). This mite is thought to be one of the greatest threats to our honey and honey bee pollination plant industries.

The mite attaches itself to the bee and feeds on them. It weakens them and kills colonies. European honey bees infested with varroa are likely to die within 3 to 4 years if left untreated. The mite also transmits honey bee viruses.

If the mite established here, we could lose most wild European honey bee nests. We would also lose managed hives that are not adapted to Varroa mite. This would significantly reduce pollination and result in estimated losses of over $70 million a year.

Varroa destructor is a distinctive-looking small mite, around 1mm in diameter. it is reddish-brown colour and can be seen with the naked eye.

Varroa destructor is a Category 2 Emergency Plant Pest (EPP) under Schedule 13 of the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD). Internal and external mites of bees are listed as number 10 in the Top 42 National Priority Plant Pests.

Australian native bees are not affected by varroa mite.