Managing your hives with Varroa
For beekeepers in NSW, managing Varroa mite in hives is a whole new skillset to learn. Find the range of support materials to help you build your knowledge on dealing with Varroa mite.
Integrated pest management
Managing Varroa mite is more than just applying miticide strips within a hive. Integrated pest management (known as IPM) uses a variety of techniques to keep Varroa mite numbers below a level where they cause economic damage to the colony and beekeeper.
IPM involves:
- understanding the Varroa life cycle
- rigorously monitoring Varroa levels and evaluating results
- applying IPM controls appropriate to your beekeeping operation, environment and colonies’ developmental phase if Varroa levels are too high
- continuing monitoring and management as much as necessary, rotating different types of chemical controls to prevent Varroa from developing chemical resistance.
Watch the video on integrated pest management when dealing with Varroa mite in your hives
This introduction to Integrated Pest Management walks through the practical steps beekeepers can take to find, minimise, and either prevent, eradicate, or manage pests and diseases in their colonies.
- To learn more about Varroa biology and monitoring, read the Varroa mite Primefact
- To learn more about management options for Varroa mite in NSW, read the Varroa management Primefact
- To learn more about Varroa permits, read the Varroa permit Primefact
- To learn more about Varroa labels, read the Varroa label Primefact
- To learn more about Varroa Safety Data Sheets, read the Varroa Safety Data Sheets Primefact
(For PDF Varroa management Primefact View or download here)
Sourcing miticide strips
Miticide strips are now approved to be available through commercial suppliers in NSW, for beekeepers whose hives have mite loads at a level that requires chemical treatment.
What do I need to do?
- Continue your surveillance of hives using an alcohol wash, sugar shake or soapy water wash
- Report results using the alcohol wash reporting form, selecting the amount of mites you find on average during that surveillance activity. Report your surveillance results here
- If you are concerned about the mite load in your hives, call the response on 1800 084 881
- Please note - the Varroa mite Control Order requires that where mites found in a surveillance activity exceed a threshold (more than 5 from 1 March to 30 November, and more than 9 mites from 1 December to end of February), all hives at that apiary must be treated within 14 days of detection.
Recommended treatment thresholds by colony phase
- Varroa % is the number of Varroa mites per 100 adult bees (adapted from Honey Bee Health Coalition 2022 by E. Frost)
- In brackets (or number of mites found) is the total mites found in an alcohol wash, soapy water wash, or sugar shake of 300 worker bees or ½ cup
| Colony phase | Wait - immediate control not needed | Urgent - Control immediately |
|---|---|---|
| Dormant (broodless period) | Under 1% (less than 3 mites found) | Over 1% (3-5 mites found) |
| Population increase (typically spring) | Under 2% (5 or less mites found) | Over 2-3% (6-9 mites found) |
| Peak population (typically summer) | Under 2% (5 or less mites found) | Over 3% (9+ mites found) |
| Population decrease (typically autimn) | Under 2% (5 or less mites found) | Over 2-3% (6-9+ mites found) |
