Varroa mite management Articles and Guides

Author: Kris Fricke (& substantial quotes from Bruce Ward)

Issue: May 2026 

Subject: An explanation of mite identification and how you can spot varroa

Werribee Mystery Mite 

On the evening of Monday April 6th Werribee area beekeeper David Ross posted on the Werribee Beekeepers' facebook page: 

“Tonight I had a bee come inside that was clearly struggling, I put it out of its misery with a cloth and a large number of mites came off it. Any ideas on what it is? Will be doing another hive check tomorrow on all 3 hives and see if I get any more. Size is less than 1mm.” David Ross. 

He immediately reported it to AgVic as well. On Facebook people didn't hesitate to start guessing: chatGPT says it's a varroa, which it clearly is not; someone else said it was a pollen mite while posting a picture that was equally not a pollen mite either. To me it looked very alarmingly like a Tropilaelaps mite, but there are actually a lot of mites that look very similar so all we could do was wait anxiously for the official diagnosis. 

AgVic staff rushed out there the next morning, took samples and checked the rest of the hives. They delivered the sample to the AgriBio diagnostics lab on the La Trobe University campus, staff there worked overtime into the evening to identify the mystery mite. Unfortunately, apparently the samples were both slightly damaged and not fully adult, which made things harder, but finally they were able to identify them as mites of the genus Parasitus. These mites are not harmful to bees, can be found in compost and leaf litter, can be phoretic (hitching a ride) on dung beetles or other similar insects, and eat nematodes and other small arthropods including other mite species (I don't believe anyone has tested if they'll eat Varroa…). They were unable to identify it to the species level, but I note the most common species of Parasitus have all been found in bee hives (though it is not believed to prey on bees or bee larvae).¹ Interestingly I note on a map² on the Atlas of Living Australia³ while there are a few sporadic identifications of Parasitus mites elsewhere in Australia, findings are more common in Central Victoria and in Werribee very specifically there are four specimens collected and preserved by NSW DPI, so it seems to be a hotspot for this mite. 

Pollen Mite 

On the evening of September 4th, 2024, I, then an AgVic employee, was just sitting to dinner when a call came in about a suspicious mite reported near Geelong about forty minutes from me just then by former NSW apiary officer Bruce Ward. 

Obviously by default I can't share the details of what I did for AgVic, but conveniently Bruce himself wrote about it for the Geelong club newsletter, and because he's a good writer himself, I'll quote him directly, writing in September 2024: 

“With the arrival of Varroa in Victoria last month, I decided to increase my Varroa testing, and have started a detergent wash every month. You can imagine my surprise when on my very first monthly wash, I spotted several brown spots in my wash bottle. My first reaction was that they were too small to be Varroa, but I wanted to take a closer look. I strained the spots onto a paper towel and had a look with a hand lens. I was expecting to see lumps of pollen or debris. My heart sank when I saw two brown mites that looked very similar to Varroa. One was on its front and had a domed back. The other one was on its back, and I could just make out little legs. My first step was to make an online report through the exotic plant disease hotline. Within an hour I was contacted by the bee biosecurity team from Agriculture Victoria. The biosecurity staff arranged to have the mites collected by a Varroa Development Officer (VDO). We took the opportunity to re-check the hive and uncap the few drone brood cells available, with no further concerning signs. By this time I had also been able to take a relatively clear photo of the two mites. With the head of a toothpick for size comparison.”

At that time, even though pollen mites are much smaller than Varroa, I (Kris) personally had happily not seen Varroa first hand in nearly 10 years so I felt I couldn't rule out the possibility. The next day I met one of the biosecurity officers at the Geelong ringroad servo to hand-off the specimens, like some kind of illicit drug deal, and he drove them the rest of the way to AgriBio. They were able to identify them as Mellitiphis alvearius, which name means "Bee-associated of-the-hive," commonly known as the pollen mite, another innocuous occasional inhabitant of beehives. It primarily feeds on pollen that has fallen to the bottom of the hive⁴ and has been found throughout the world, meaning it probably has been a natural commensal (non-harmful) inhabitant of European bees' hives since prehistory and rode them to distribution around the world. They have been little studied since being determined to be harmless, but it's possible natural commensal inhabitants of beehives like this are killed off by Varroa treatments. 

Back to Bruce: 

“In less than 24 hours from the sample being collected, I had a reassuring text message that the mites were pollen mites. I have thought a lot about this between finding the specks in the wash and getting the all-clear. Since the official identification, I have read up on pollen mites and talked to the biosecurity team and to my former colleagues in NSW DPI. Pollen mites are sometimes found in beehives, and can often be seen on the bottom board or in the tray under a screened bottom board. They are smaller and more active than Varroa. Pollen mites are routinely seen in sticky mat surveillance, but do not normally show up in alcohol washes. They are harmless to bees and feed on pollen. I don't think it is possible for the average person to accurately identify pollen mites without Varroa for comparison. It really needs a good quality microscope to see the distinguishing features. Needless to say I am relieved not to be the first beekeeper to find Varroa this far south. But I am also relieved that I am sure it was not Varroa. I won't be lying awake at night wondering.”

That last sentence carries a bit of ironic foreshadowing, 17 months later he was indeed the first beekeeper to find Varroa this close to Geelong (which distinction he held for an hour or two that day only). It's no coincidence that it's the people looking most closely who find it first. 

Other Things

John Edmonds recently sent me this picture of a pseudoscorpion he found in a hive. 

While there's nothing for scale in this picture they're tiny but bigger than mites, typically 2-8mm (Varroa is about 1.6mm for comparison). 

Various interesting and uncommon little creatures have been found recently by Victoria's beekeepers now that people are looking more closely at the tiny things in their hives than ever before. Some are just interesting novelties, but there are still other mites that would be a five alarm alert if discovered here (Tropilaelaps!) so if you're at all unsure, don't hesitate to report it. As Bruce's original article concluded:

“If you are like me, it is hard to think straight when your alarm bells are ringing loudly. I have a couple of pointers from my experience: If you have a suspect Varroa test, make a report through the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline. The best way to find that is to search for "plant pest hotline Victoria." The first site that comes up is the national hotline. You want the Victorian one, which was second on my search results. The online report is very easy to do. The 'Suspected threat' list does not include Varroa, so choose "Exotic Bee Mite". 

Suspect Varroa cases are investigated by the Honeybee Biosecurity staff at Agriculture Victoria. 

References

 Klimov P, O'Connor B, Ochoa R, Bauchan G, Redford A, Scher J. 2016. Parasitus [fact sheet]. Bee Mite ID. USDA APHIS PPQ; University of Michigan. Available from: https://idtools.org/bee_mite/index.cfm?packageID=1&entityID=128 [accessed 2026- 04-28]. 

https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/48d71300-d37c45f1-b071-4e666a43f7b5. Accessed 2026-04-28 

Belbin L, Wallis E, Hobern D, Zerger A (2021) The Atlas of Living Australia: History, current state and future directions. Biodiversity Data Journal 9: e65023. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.9.e65023 

Gibbins, B.L. & R.F. van Toor. 1990. Investigation of the parasitic status of Melittiphis alvearius (Berlese) on honeybees, Apis mellifera L., by immunoassay. J. Apic. Res. 29: 46-52.

Author: Kris Fickle

Issue: April 2026

Subject: An explanation of Parasitic Mite Syndrome and varroosis

Where PMS Came from? 

"Parasitic Mite Syndrome" was coined in the United States in 1994 when both tracheal and varroa mites were causing similar symptoms, and the USDA Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, was unsure which mite was causing the damage. 

Beekeepers in the United States have been forced to adjust their bee disease management systems ever since the parasitic mites Acarapis woodi and Varroa [destructor] were discovered there in 1984 and 1987, respectively. 

The impact of both of these mites has been devastating. In addition to reports of field observations, the Bee Research Laboratory (BRL) has seen an increase in the number of bee disease samples that we in the Laboratory have chosen to call the "parasitic mite syndrome." It is quite likely that this syndrome is similar to that reported by Ball (1988) in which she refers to the condition as a "secondary infection" in colonies infested with *V.[destructor]*. The purpose of this report is to heighten the awareness of beekeepers, regulators, and research scientists to this syndrome. It is our desire that this report will encourage others who have made similar observations to share their knowledge so that together we can identify the possible causes.¹

Enter "Varroosis", The More Precise Term

However, for varroa-specific damage, the more precise term varroosis (pronounced like varroa with "sis" on the end) was officially adopted by the World Organization for Animal Health in 1989.²,³ This term is immediately and intuitively clear - even if you've never heard of "varroosis," if someone says their hive has varroosis, you'd know immediately what they're talking about. Compare that to if someone not up on their varroa reading hears someone say their hive has PMS.

Even the Original Researchers Saw the Problem

Notably, the original article introducing "Parasitic Mite Syndrome" never shortened the three words to the acronym "PMS." A year later in a follow-up paper, they used "BPMS,"⁵ no doubt realizing exactly the acronym problems I am now writing about. But even this solution isn't great, as verbally that just sounds like "bee PMS," implying the bees aresuffering from the reproductive syndrome, which, needless to say, they do not experience.⁶ And there's a practical consequence to this: can you or I google "PMS" and expect varroa management advice? No, we certainly cannot. Instead, standing in the field we can type all 23 characters of the full phrase into our phone, or, more likely, we're typing in "varroa" anyway, and if we adopted "varroosis" it would autocomplete by the fourth letter.

A Clean Break for Australian Beekeepers

Here in Australia with the varroa journey just beginning for most beekeepers, we have a chance to break with the inaccurate folksy term coined as a research shorthand for an unknown syndrome in America in 1994, a term that is imprecise, unofficial, and already loaded with an overwhelmingly more recognized meaning, to cleanly adopt the precise and official term Varroosis when talking about the effects of Varroa on a hive.

References

Shimanuki, H., Calderone, N.W. & Knox, D. 1994. Parasitic mite syndrome: the symptoms. American Bee Journal, 134: 827–828.

World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). 2021. Varroosis of honey bees (infestation of honey bees with Varroa spp.). In: Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Chapter 3.2.7. WOAH, Paris. Available at: https://www.woah.org/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahm/3.02.07_VARROO 

SIS.pdf (accessed 2026-03-27).

WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health). 2024. Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 32nd edition, Chapter 9.6: Infestation of honey bees with Varroa spp. (Varroosis). Paris: WOAH. https://www.woah.org/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahc/2024/en_sommaire.htm

Greene, R. & Dalton, K. 1953. The premenstrual syndrome. British Medical Journal, 1(4818): 1007–1014. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.4818.1007

Hung, A.C.F., Adams, J.R. & Shimanuki, H. 1995. Bee parasitic mite syndrome (II): the role of Varroa mite and viruses. American Bee Journal, 135: 702–704.

Winston, M.L. 1987. The Biology of the Honey Bee. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 281 pp

Author: Danny LeFeuvre, CEO AHBIC 

Issue: May 2026

Subject: An important insight into how varroa miticides are approved for use in Australia. The differences between emergency permits and full product registration and what role AHBIC actually plays in the process.  

There has been commentary across industry about the APVMA process for varroa miticides and what role AHBIC plays. It is important to separate three things: emergency permits, full product registrations, and AHBIC's advocacy role. 

Emergency permits 

Emergency permits are temporary approvals used to legalise the use of an agvet chemical product, or active constituent, to address an emergency situation. The APVMA states that the final decision on whether a use qualifies as an emergency use rests with the APVMA, and they often will not approve multiple permits for the same active ingredient, or where alternatives exist. 

Anyone can apply for an emergency permit, but applications are usually led by a state jurisdiction or sometimes industry bodies. In the varroa response, many treatment permits have been held by NSW DPIRD because of its role as the lead agency. AHBIC also holds permits where appropriate, such as for copper naphthenate but does not hold any varroa treatment permits. 

Emergency permits are assessed against APVMA criteria and are generally conservative. The APVMA must be satisfied there is adequate information to manage risks to users, bees, the environment and trade. Where there is inadequate scientific data provided the permit will reflect limitations on use. 

AHBIC has strongly advocated for access to emergency treatment options, but AHBIC does not determine or has input into permit labels, withholding periods, treatment limits or other conditions. Those decisions sit with the APVMA. 

Full product registration 

Full registration is a separate and more detailed process. Before an agvet chemical product can be legally supplied, sold or used in Australia, it must be registered by the APVMA. 

For a product registration, the manufacturer or its Australian representative submits the application with a proposed label and supporting scientific data. The APVMA must be satisfied that the product meets safety, efficacy, trade and labelling criteria. 

This means label claims must be backed by evidence. For example, if a manufacturer wants a label to allow multiple treatments in a season, the data must support safety, efficacy, residues and resistance management. If the evidence is limited, the label will be conservative. 

AHBIC has no role in assessing or providing input into full registrations. That process is confidential and between the applicant and the APVMA. Once a product is registered, any label change or variations must also be submitted by the manufacturer (not AHBIC) with supporting data. Lobbying AHBIC or the APVMA will not, by itself, change a registered label. It is the manufacturer that must be convinced to propose changes. 

The issue of influence and industry capture 

The APVMA has also been the subject of significant scrutiny. A key review published in July 2023 by Clayton Utz commissioned by the government addressed serious allegations raised through Senate Estimates about industry influence. Whilst the report found there had been no evidence of inappropriately registered products it did identify a perception risk. It noted the regulator's strong focus on approval timeframes and its level of engagement with industry stakeholders. 

Importantly the report highlighted the structural reality of the system, in that, while industry, including AHBIC, can advocate for access to tools and highlight operational impacts, it cannot influence regulatory outcomes, data assessments or label settings. Product registrations, label claims and use patterns are determined solely through APVMA's statutory, evidence-based assessment process, and any changes require formal applications supported by data from the product registrant. 

In practical terms, this means AHBIC cannot "get a label changed" or alter use conditions through advocacy - its role is limited to facilitating industry need, encouraging investment, and supporting the generation of the evidence required for regulatory consideration. 

What AHBIC Does 

AHBIC's role is advocacy, coordination and intelligence gathering. This includes: 

• Encouraging manufacturers to register products in Australia. Over the last 4 years AHBIC has met with every manufacturer that has registered varroa treatments globally.  

• Advocating for emergency access where identified gaps exist, including to NSW DPIRD and the APVMA to allow for multiple emergency permits for Australian Beekeepers 

• Working with R&D providers such as AgriFutures to identify emerging control options and what needs to be done to bring them to market in Australia. Now, fungal control, RNAi control and screening of other agricultural miticides to find new effective varroa control are being developed.  

• Monitoring global miticide developments and resistance issues and communicating practical information to beekeepers.  

• Working with suppliers to assist with bottle necks or regulatory barriers to supply. 

This aligns with AHBIC's strategic role as the national voice for the honey bee and pollination industries, particularly in biosecurity, market integrity and industry resilience. 

Final message 

The miticide registration system is evidence-based, confidential and regulator-led. AHBIC can advocate for access and help build the case for industry need, but it cannot write labels, approve products or override APVMA decisions. That independence matters. The industry needs timely access to effective varroa treatments, but it also needs confidence that products are safe for bees, beekeepers, consumers, trade and the environment. 

Author: Agriculture Victoria

Issue: April 2026 

Subject: How the increased hive inspections prompted by varroa monitoring give beekeeper an opportunity to catch American foulbrood (AFB) early and avoid preventable costs. 

With an increased frequency of hive inspections due to Varroa, beekeepers now have a valuable opportunity to identify American Foulbrood (AFB) earlier – and avoid significant and preventable costs. 

Increased inspections create new opportunities 

Increased hive inspection frequency by beekeepers due to Varroa mite provides more regular contact with their hives and a positive opportunity for the early detection of other well established widespread bee diseases like American Foulbrood. 

Unlike Varroa mite, management of AFB is severely limited with no approved controls other than to destroy the affected hive and sterilise associated equipment and hiveware. AFB is highly contagious and can easily be spread by beekeepers if undetected. 

Identifying AFB early saves you time and money 

As profit margins are squeezed with the establishment of Varroa mite across Victoria it is increasingly important for beekeepers to be assessing where sensible cost savings can be made. Taking advantage of more hive inspections associated with mite level monitoring and removing affected AFB hives from your apiary before carrying out varroa treatments is one way of reducing costs. 

Barrier systems reduce disease spread and costs 

Routine apiary management such as moving hives and the interchange of hive components can unintentionally spread AFB to healthy bee colonies within your apiary. For larger business operations, with more than one load of hives that are managed as a single unit, the use of a barrier system can be an effective tool to reduce the risk of AFB spread. Once a barrier system is established, any AFB outbreaks can be contained to the load/loads that make up that unit, minimising impacts on the broader business. 

Recognising AFB symptoms in the field 

Identifying AFB involves looking for an irregular "shotgun" brood pattern, sunken or greasy-looking dark cappings, and a foul, fishy odour. A key diagnostic check is the "rope test," where a matchstick inserted into a dead larva drags out a sticky, brown thread of 2–5 cm. 

Don't waste money treating hives already lost to AFB 

The cost of managing Varroa will have a direct impact on your business' profitability - and treating hives already infected with AFB is an avoidable expense. Make the most of your increased hive inspections and don't just look for Varroa – use this time to check for all bee pests and diseases. Implement a barrier system to ensure AFB, and other pests and diseases, do not impact your entire apiary. 

If you are unsure how to identify bee pest and disease in your apiary you can visit a number of web sites including Agriculture Victoria and BeeAware or undertake the Biosecurity On Line Training Course which has been updated to reflect the requirements of the new Australian Honey Bee Biosecurity Code of Practice. For more information on honey bee biosecurity please contact your states Bee Biosecurity Officer. 

Author: Tony Wilsmore

Issue: April 2026

Subject: Practical Guidance on Autumn hive pack down, climate control, nutrition and varroa management to help colonies survive winter now that Varroa is established in Victoria. 

Autumn is one of the most important times of the beekeeping year. Decisions made in late summer and autumn determine whether colonies simply survive winter or emerge strong and productive in spring.

Good pack down practice ensures bees can maintain a stable nest environment, access adequate food stores, and avoid unnecessary stress from pests and pathogens. This has always been important, but it is especially critical now that Varroa is present in Australia. High mite levels weaken winter bees and increase colony susceptibility to disease and pests, putting hives at risk during the colder months.

Preparing colonies properly for winter can be considered under three main areas: climate control, nutrition, and pathogen and pest management.

Climate Control: A Dry, Warm Nest

Healthy bees need a dry, draft-free nest that can be maintained with minimal energy expenditure. During winter, the colony clusters to generate heat. If the hive has excessive ventilation or too much empty space, bees must work harder to maintain cluster temperature, consuming more stores and weakening the colony.

Several simple actions can help maintain a stable hive environment.

• Review ventilation. While airflow is beneficial in summer, excessive ventilation during winter can create cold drafts and condensation. Closing off ventilated bottom boards or roof vents can help the colony maintain warmth. 
• Reduce the volume of the hive. Surplus honey boxes should be removed before pack down so that the colony occupies a space it can effectively manage. A smaller hive volume helps bees retain heat and defend the colony against pests.
• Consider insulation. Insulating the hive roof can reduce heat loss and condensation during cold weather. 
• Reduce the entrance size. Smaller entrances help bees conserve warmth and improve their ability to defend the hive against robbing and pests. 

Nutrition: Feeding the Winter Bees

Autumn is often a period of declining forage. Nectar flows slow, and colonies may become defensive as food becomes scarce. At the same time, the colony begins raising winter bees, which are physiologically different from summer bees and must live for several months. For this reason, nutrition in autumn is critical.

Winter bees must develop with adequate nutrition to ensure strong colonies in spring. Colonies also need sufficient food reserves located close to the brood nest so that the cluster can access stores during cold weather when movement within the hive is limited.

Beekeepers should assess colonies carefully and identify weak hives early. Weak colonies may need strengthening, protection, or combining with stronger colonies before winter. Feeding may also be necessary if honey reserves are insufficient. Moving honey frames closer to the brood nest can help ensure bees have access to food during winter clustering.

For a single brood box setup in Melbourne, a useful rule of thumb is to aim for at least four full frames of honey in the brood box by late April. Conditions vary across regions, but ensuring adequate stores is essential for winter survival. Reducing the entrance size can also help protect colonies during this period when robbing pressure may increase.

Pathogens and Pests: Clean Hives and Low Varroa Levels

Strong colonies heading into winter require both a clean environment and low pest pressure. Hygiene plays an important role in reducing pathogen load. Old wax, propolis buildup, and contaminated comb can harbour disease organisms and pests. Cleaning hive components before winter is therefore good practice.

Frame bars and hive boxes should be scraped clean of wax and propolis. Wooden hive boxes can be flame sterilised using a blowtorch or heat gun to destroy pathogens on the surface. Old frames that have been cleaned can be disinfected before reuse. Rotating out older brood frames is also recommended, as old comb can accumulate residues and disease spores over time.

Polystyrene hive components require a different approach. These can be cleaned using washing soda to remove wax and propolis and then disinfected using bleach or an appropriate disinfectant such as Virkon S.

Pest management is equally important. Empty comb and unused boxes should be removed to reduce the risk of wax moth and small hive beetle infestations. Most importantly, colonies should be tested and treated for varroa before winter bees are raised. Maintaining low mite numbers going into winter is critical for colony survival. Colonies entering winter with high mite loads often produce weakened winter bees and may collapse before spring. As with other pack down measures, reducing the entrance size can also assist the colony in defending itself against pests.

The Key to Strong Spring Colonies

Preparing colonies for winter is not a single action but a combination of management decisions made throughout autumn.

By focusing on climate control, nutrition, and pest management, beekeepers can greatly improve the chances that their colonies will emerge from winter healthy and productive.

Good pack down practices help ensure that when spring arrives, colonies are ready to build rapidly, take advantage of early nectar flows, and continue the cycle of strong beekeeping seasons.