Overview

• Local beekeeper Marc Wilson discovered varroa mites in a hobby hive in Yarram and reported the find to Agriculture Victoria.
• Agriculture Victoria's BeeMAX map records 13 infested premises in Sunraysia, six in central Victoria and seven in far east Gippsland.
• Following the 2022–2023 eradication effort that euthanised about 14,000 hives, authorities shifted to a long-term management approach.
• Apiarists are applying chemical treatments that cost an average AU$40 per hive annually as part of ongoing surveillance and control.
• Industry groups urge continuous hive monitoring and are exploring selective breeding for varroa-resistant bees to protect honey and pollination services.