Local honey producers say Varroa mite will decimate industry
By Sonia Isaacs
A highly destructive pest threatening Australia’s bee population and agricultural industries has been detected in Landsborough, with local beekeepers warning of dire consequences for both honey production and pollination services.
The Varroa mite (Varroa destructor), an invasive parasite that attacks and weakens honeybees, was first found on the Sunshine Coast on June 8. Since then, it has been confirmed in nearby Beerburrum and the Donnybrook region of Moreton Bay, sparking widespread concern.
Jonathon Pelleri, a commercial beekeeper from Beerwah Pure Honey, says the mite poses an existential threat to Queensland’s honey and agricultural sectors.
“We’re going to lose at least 30% for the first couple of years,” he said, noting some outbreaks could wipe out up to 100 hives at a time. “The economic impact will be severe. Honey prices are already so low, we might as well start giving it away,” Mr Pelleri said.
“This will just push (older beekeepers) over the limit. I think it’s going to affect a lot of the older guys who are nearly ready for retirement.”
But the implications go far beyond honey.
“Without bees, your fruit, veggies—everything in the supermarket’s gone,” Mr Pelleri warned.
With more than 200 hive sites across the state, he believes urgent action is needed to prevent catastrophic losses. He is calling on beekeepers to register their hives and conduct alcohol washes to monitor mite presence.
“They’ll kill 300 bees per hive, but it’s going to be a lot cheaper in the long run than losing thousands of hives.”
Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett said Queensland, like other states and territories, has now moved from attempting to eradicate the pest to managing its spread.
“Our approach has shifted from eradication to management to safeguard Queensland’s valuable honeybee industry,” he said.
He urged all beekeepers to “remain vigilant, check hives monthly and report results to Bee 123.”
Former Wheen Bee Foundation chairman Max Whitten says the arrival of Varroa mite marks a major turning point for local beekeeping.
“Now our beekeepers have joined the rest of the world in having to contend with Varroa,” he said. “It will increase production costs, push some commercial beekeepers out, and many hobbyists will likely give up.”
He warned the mite could “decimate wild honeybee colonies that have provided free pollination since the 1860s,” impacting both paid and incidental pollination.
To support the sector, the state government has launched a $500,000 Community Bee Innovation Fund to provide grants over the next three years for projects that benefit the industry.
The Department of Primary Industries expects to see further detections due to natural spread and is encouraging all beekeepers to regularly check their hives.
Updated Varroa mite surveillance maps and further information are available at dpi.qld.gov.au
