Varroa Wave Update:Adapting to Protect Our Bees
The arrival of varroa has changed beekeeping in Australia in ways many of us never expected. Like beekeepers across the country, we’ve been navigating an intense learning curve while trying to do what matters most—protecting our bees.
Over the past season, our region has experienced a significant varroa pressure wave. During this time, keeping colonies healthy and stable inside managed hives has been increasingly difficult. Bees that once thrived began to decline rapidly, even under close monitoring and intervention.
Treatments We Tried
Our first approach focused on softer and organic-style management options, combined with increased monitoring and hive management. These included:
Increased hive inspections and brood checks
Formic Acid
Oxalic acid vapour treatments
Brood breaks and hive strengthening strategies
Drone brood removal
While these methods can be effective under lower mite pressure, the intensity of the varroa wave meant they were not enough on their own. Despite best efforts, some colonies continued to decline faster than they could recover.
The Reality of the Varroa Wave
One of the hardest parts of this period was watching strong colonies struggle to maintain balance. Varroa doesn’t just weaken bees—it disrupts the entire colony system. During peak pressure, even well-managed hives can reach a tipping point quickly.
This was not a matter of effort or care, but biology and scale. The mite load simply outpaced the control methods available at the time organically.
Making the Switch to Synthetic Treatments
After careful consideration, consultation with other beekeepers, and reviewing available data, we made the decision to introduce registered synthetic treatments where appropriate.
This decision wasn’t taken lightly. However, our responsibility as beekeepers is to reduce suffering and prevent colony collapse. In this context, switching to synthetics was about saving bees, not abandoning values.
All treatments were applied according to label directions and biosecurity requirements, including appropriate honey supers management to ensure food safety and compliance.
What This Means Going Forward
Varroa has made it clear that flexibility and honesty are essential in modern beekeeping. No single approach fits every situation, and adapting management strategies is now part of responsible hive stewardship.
We remain committed to:
Bee health and welfare
Careful, minimal-use treatment strategies
Transparency with our customers and community
Ongoing learning and collaboration with other local beekeepers
Why We Share This
We believe customers deserve honesty about how their honey is produced—especially during challenging times. Beekeeping isn’t static, and neither are the pressures facing bees.
Sharing both the tough seasons and the successful ones is part of building trust and supporting a more resilient beekeeping future.
Varroa has changed the rules, but our commitment to our bees has not.