Varroa mite updates June 2026 – important information for growers

Varroa mite updates June 2026– important information for growers

National Farmers Federation update

For your information, the National Farmers Federation (NFF) issued this media release on 15 June, 2026: Growers urged to prepare after Landline spotlights Varroa’s pollination toll – National Farmers’ Federation.

Australian Government update

The Australian Government also issued the following key messages on 4 June, 2026:

• Varroa mites that are resistant to chemical treatment have spread, with treatment failures confirmed in Victoria and South Australia.
• This follows treatment resistance confirmed in New South Wales and Queensland earlier this year.
• In Victoria, only one apiary has been affected, in the state’s north-east.
• In South Australia, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions confirmed treatment resistance in hives associated with the Pooginook Detection Zone.
• The affected jurisdictions continue to work closely with registered beekeepers to provide more information and advice.
• If miticide resistance in varroa mites becomes widespread, apiarists will lose key control tools, and there becomes an increased risk of high mite loads and colony losses.
• More information is available at gov.au including links to the relevant government and industry websites.

What Government knows 

• The only jurisdiction with a varroa mite population that has not experienced treatment failures is the ACT.
• All other jurisdictions with varroa mite populations are experiencing treatment resistance to both major synthetic treatment groups – pyrethroids (such as Apistan and Bayvarol) and formamidines with the active ingredient Amitraz (such as Apitraz and Apivar).
• The resistance to varroa mite treatment was first detected in January 2026 when the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development collected varroa mites from a small number of apiaries in northern NSW following a suspected pyrethroid treatment failure.
• After identifying links from the case in NSW to QLD both states worked together to identify a second version of pyrethroid resistance. In April, both versions of resistance were confirmed in these states.
• Victoria and South Australia confirmed resistance to both major synthetic treatment groups in May 2026.
• South Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions sampled sentinel hives in the Pooginook Detection Zone, as well as hives that had been in the zone. This sampling occurred due to tracing information provided by NSW.
• The resistant varroa mites are associated an incursion of Varroa destructor more recent than and separate to those first detected in 2022. This was confirmed through research conducted by the NSW Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute.
• Testing is also underway to identify if there is an endemic or exotic virus in the resistant mite population. So far, the hives tested have not shown any presence of any exotic viruses.
• Varroa destructor was first detected in NSW in June 2022 prompting a nationally coordinated and cost-shared eradication program. In September 2023, the National Management Group agreed on advice from the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests and confirmed that eradication was no longer feasible.
• A nationally coordinated and cost-shared transition to management program ran for two years with the aim of slowing the spread of varroa mite, and to allow industry to adopt management practices. This program concluded in February 2026.
• Varroa destructor has since been detected in QLD, Victoria, the ACT and South Australia.
• States and territories will continue to manage varroa mite with resources deployed under the transition to management program, which support best practice management, including in newly affected areas. These free resources are available on the National Varroa Mite Management Program’s website, at varroa.org.au.

What Government is doing

• The resistance to both major synthetic treatment groups has been communicated to beekeepers in all affected states through their primary industries departments.
• Bee Biosecurity Officers and apiary staff are working with impacted beekeepers to help assess their individual situations and facilitate the collection of mites for further testing. This testing will help us get a better understanding of the distribution of this resistance in the varroa mite population.
• The ongoing work by the states, territories and the Australian Government is being delivered through the National Bee Biosecurity Program and the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program.
• The Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests continues to meet with affected industries and all jurisdictions to share information about the current situation and the work being done to better understand the spread of this resistance.
• At a previous meeting the committee agreed that the resistant mite populations cannot be eradicated. This is due to: Varroa destructor being geographically widespread; it cannot be contained, and the pathway for the new incursion is not known.

What you can do

• Resistance in varroa mite populations can arise quickly, particularly when they are repeatedly exposed to synthetic miticides such as Bayvarol, Apistan, Apitraz and Apivar.
• If we have fewer available effective control options, mite levels in colonies can rise leading to increased stress on hives and higher rates of colony decline or mortality.
• Monitor your mite numbers before, during and after miticide treatments. Reach out for help from your primary industries department if you suspect treatment failure.
• If you suspect that resistance-carrying mites are in your area and you treat with pyrethroid or amitraz products, check colonies when they reach mid-treatment to detect potential treatment failure early.
• Beekeepers should follow best practice in the management of varroa mite including the early adoption of integrated pest management strategies, including the use of mechanical and cultural controls along with rotation of chemical with different modes of action and ensuring that label and permit conditions are strictly followed. Use organic compounds and non-chemical varroa control methods where practical to reduce the use of synthetic chemical treatments.
• Practice swarm control to reduce feral honey bee sources of mite reinfestation and spread.
• Ensuring that best practice is followed will help to slow the spread and development of miticide resistant varroa.
• If beekeepers suspect treatment failure in any state or territory, contact the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. This will put you in touch with your department of primary industries where someone can help you to assess the situation and provide further advice.

Find out more

Beekeepers can access free resources and information about managing varroa mite at varroa.org.au. This site also has links to varroa information from each state and territory, including reporting options.

The BeeAware website also has a range of information and resources for beekeepers.

This article appears as part of the 19 June 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.