Finding Varroa mite in a hive can feel urgent, but the right response is methodical: document the finding, follow your state reporting requirements, confirm the colony's mite load with an accepted monitoring method, and choose any treatment strictly according to its current Australian label or permit.
This checklist is written for Australian beekeepers managing Varroa destructor. Requirements differ between states and can change, so use the official links below to confirm the rules that apply where your hives are located.
Quick response checklist
- Record the date, apiary and affected hive.
- Photograph or retain the suspect mite where practical.
- Check and follow your state or territory reporting requirements.
- Confirm the mite load using a standard 300-bee monitoring method.
- Check current thresholds and choose only a label- or permit-compliant treatment.
- Record the product, batch, dates and hive details.
- Monitor treatment performance and retest as directed.
- Review nearby colonies and reduce avoidable spread between apiaries.
1. Record what you found.
Before changing anything in the hive, write down the apiary location, hive identifier, date, monitoring method and result. Take a clear photograph if possible. If the mite was found through a wash or sugar shake, record the number of mites and the approximate number of bees sampled.
Do not rely on seeing mites on adult bees as your only test. Most of the mite population may be associated with the brood, and visible symptoms can appear late. A standardised test provides a result that can be compared over time.
2. Follow the reporting rules for your state.
Varroa reporting is not identical across Australia. Always use the current guidance for the state or territory where the apiary is located.
Queensland
In Queensland, Varroa destructor is a category 2 restricted matter. Biosecurity Queensland states that detections or suspected detections must be reported within 24 hours. Reports can be submitted through the Bee 123 process and current Queensland Varroa guidance by emailing varroa@dpi.qld.gov.au or by calling 13 25 23.
New South Wales
NSW DPIRD states that beekeepers must report the first instance of Varroa detected in their hives and that the detection only needs to be reported once. Check the current NSW Varroa page for reporting and resistance updates.
Other states and territories
Use your agriculture or primary industries department's current Varroa page. If you are unsure who to contact, the Australian Government's pest and disease reporting page lists national reporting routes that connect callers with the relevant authority.
3. Confirm the colony's mite load.
A single mite confirms presence, but it does not tell you the size of the infestation. Australian monitoring guidance uses a standard sample of approximately 300 adult bees, commonly described as half a cup, collected from the brood area while taking care not to include the queen.
The accepted 300-bee monitoring methods are:
- Alcohol wash: considered best practice for reliable mite-load monitoring in Australia.
- Soapy-water wash: another wash method used for a standardised count.
- Sugar shake: a non-lethal option, although results can be affected by technique and conditions.
Drone uncapping and sticky boards can support surveillance, but they do not replace a standard 300-bee sample when you need to estimate the colony's mite load. Review the official Australian monitoring methods and current threshold table before making a treatment decision.
OZBEE stocks a Varroa monitoring kit for sugar shake and alcohol wash testing, plus additional equipment in our Varroa mite detection and monitoring collection.
4. Check nearby colonies.
Mite loads can differ substantially between hives in the same apiary. For a small apiary, testing every colony gives the clearest picture. Larger apiaries should follow current state or industry sampling guidance and include colonies from different parts of the site.
Use a barrier system between apiaries: avoid transferring frames, supers and tools without considering their origin, clean equipment between sites, and keep hive movements traceable. Before moving bees or equipment, check current requirements for both the origin and destination.
5. Choose treatment from the current label and permit.
Do not treat on guesswork, and do not use an overseas home remedy. Treatment should be based on a verified mite count, the colony's brood stage, local conditions and the current threshold guidance.
Before purchasing or applying a treatment:
- Confirm that the product is registered in Australia or covered by a current APVMA permit.
- Read the complete label or permit, including restraints, protective equipment and disposal instructions.
- Check conditions relating to temperature, brood, honey supers and harvest.
- Follow the stated application period and removal date.
- Do not combine treatments unless the label or permit explicitly allows it.
- Rotate modes of action as directed by current resistance-management guidance rather than repeatedly relying on one chemical group.
Use the APVMA product and permit search to confirm the current legal status and instructions. Product registration and permit conditions can change, so an old treatment table or overseas article is not a substitute for the current Australian label.
6. Monitor treatment performance
Monitoring does not stop when treatment begins. Follow the product label and your state guidance for checking efficacy. Current NSW resistance guidance advises monitoring synthetic treatments while they are in place and after removal. A mite count that continues to rise or fails to fall as expected may indicate application problems, reinfestation or resistance.
Do not automatically repeat the same treatment. Keep the product in place for the labelled period unless an authorised adviser directs otherwise, and contact your state bee biosecurity team if treatment failure is suspected. NSW beekeepers can review the current chemical-resistance management actions.
7. Keep a complete Varroa record.
A useful Varroa logbook entry should include:
- apiary location and hive identification;
- inspection and testing dates;
- monitoring method and number of bees sampled;
- number of mites found;
- treatment threshold or decision used;
- product name, active ingredient and batch number;
- application and removal dates;
- honey-super and brood status;
- follow-up test dates and results;
- hive movements, equipment transfers and unusual colony symptoms.
Good records allow you to compare mite levels, demonstrate label compliance and identify treatments that are losing effectiveness.
What not to do after finding Varroa
- Do not assume one visible mite tells you the full mite load.
- Do not use unregistered chemicals, improvised acids or essential-oil recipes.
- Do not copy overseas dosage instructions.
- Do not ignore honey-super, temperature or withholding restrictions.
- Do not move bees or shared equipment without checking current movement rules and biosecurity risk.
- Do not treat once and then stop monitoring.
Prepare before the next inspection.
Keep monitoring equipment clean, labelled and ready for each apiary. If you use sticky boards or screened bottom boards for surveillance, pair their observations with a standardised 300-bee test when a quantitative mite load is required.
For seasonal context, read our existing guide to spring Varroa mite management in Australia. You can also browse OZBEE's Varroa detection and monitoring equipment before your next inspection.
Important: This article provides general educational information, not a treatment prescription. Regulations, permits and local requirements can change. Follow your state authority, the current APVMA-approved label or permit, and qualified local advice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to report one Varroa mite?
Reporting requirements depend on where the apiary is located. Queensland requires detections or suspected detections to be reported within 24 hours. NSW requires the first instance in your hives to be reported and states that it only needs to be reported once. Check your own state or territory guidance.
Should I treat immediately after seeing one mite?
Confirm the colony's mite load using a standard monitoring method and compare the result with current guidance. Use treatment only when indicated and only according to its current Australian label or permit.
Is a sticky board enough to decide whether to treat?
A sticky board is useful for surveillance and observing mite drop, but Australian guidance uses standardised 300-bee sampling to estimate colony mite load and support treatment decisions.
How do I know whether treatment worked?
Record the starting mite load and retest according to the label and state guidance. If mite numbers remain high or rise unexpectedly, contact your state bee biosecurity team rather than repeatedly applying the same chemical group.