Apiary Update: Mite Counts Down, Macadamias Flowering, Bees Working Hard

This weekend we removed treatment from the hives and followed up with mite checks across the yard.

The result was encouraging: the average mite count came back at 1.6 across the hives checked.

After the pressure we’ve been watching this season, seeing that drop is a good sign. It does not mean the job is finished, and it definitely does not mean we stop monitoring. Varroa management is not a one-and-done job. It is checking, recording, treating when needed, and then checking again to make sure the treatment has done what it was meant to do.

For us, this is exactly why regular mite monitoring matters. Without the checks, you are only guessing. With the checks, you can see what is happening in the hive and make better decisions before things get away from you.

The timing has also lined up with the macadamia flowering now starting to come on. The bees were highly active, working strongly at the entrances, and we’re seeing supers beginning to fill.

That is always a good sight.

After a tough run with Varroa, small hive beetle pressure, weather changes, and the constant work of keeping colonies healthy, it is encouraging to see the bees responding well and making the most of the available forage.

Macadamia flowering can be an important seasonal nectar and pollen source in our area, and the bees are clearly taking advantage of it. Strong activity at the hive entrances, bees moving with purpose, and weight starting to build in the supers are all signs we like to see.

Good bee health is never just about one thing. It is the combination of strong colonies, good forage, timely treatment, careful monitoring, and paying attention to what the bees are telling us.

For now, we’ll keep watching the mite levels, keep an eye on colony strength, and hopefully see the supers continue to fill as the macadamias keep flowering.

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