In 2025, varroa mites were found in Queensland beehives.

The mites likely came from New South Wales, where they have been a problem since 2022.

Now, most wild bee colonies in southeast Queensland have died, and many managed colonies are struggling.

A beekeeper said the situation in southeast Queensland is very bad.

Varroa mites enter beehives on infected bees and lay eggs in the hive.

The mites harm the baby bees, which then grow up with problems.

If varroa mites affect a bee colony, the next generation of bees may not be able to fly.

When this happens, the colony can no longer survive.

To check for varroa mites, beekeepers put bees in alcohol and count the mites that fall off.

Beekeepers hope to find fewer than three mites.

But sometimes, they find many more mites than that.

Until recently, a strong chemical was used to kill varroa mites.

However, some mites are now resistant to this chemical.

Other treatments use a natural chemical called oxalic acid.

Oxalic acid is not harmful to bees, but it can hurt mites and humans.

Some beekeepers use oxalic acid vapor to treat their beehives.

Oxalic acid vaporizers are used to treat beehives.

Oxalic acid is dangerous for humans.

To count mites, beekeepers put hundreds of bees in alcohol.

After the alcohol wash, beekeepers count the mites that fell off.

Using oxalic acid regularly can help keep the mite numbers low.

But it is hard work and very expensive.

A beekeeper said it costs him extra money every month to treat his beehives.

He loves his bees and it is sad to see them struggling.

Beekeepers are barely able to keep their bees alive.

One beekeeper had to stop doing some of her business because of the varroa mites.

She used to take people to her beehives, but now she can't.

Australia is one of the last places to be affected by varroa mites.

New treatments and special bees are being developed in other countries.

But it is hard for beekeepers to keep going.

The joy of beekeeping is gone for many beekeepers.

Treatments are always changing, and it is hard to keep up.

Beekeepers have to decide whether to keep treating their bees or give up.

Varroa mites are a threat to food security.

Bees are important for pollinating food crops in Australia.

Some foods, like macadamias and mangoes, rely heavily on bees.

If bee colonies die, there may not be enough bees to pollinate crops.

This could lead to food shortages.

Some farmers may need to pay for beekeepers to come and pollinate their crops.

This could be a problem for food security.

If farmers have to pay more for pollination, it could be too expensive.

New treatments for varroa mites are available in other countries.

The Australian government is working to approve these treatments.

But it may take some time before they are available.

When varroa mites first arrive, many bee colonies die.

But eventually, the beekeeping industry will recover.

It will take some time, but Australia will get through this problem.

Thursday, 4 June 2026, 5:35 am

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