Varroa Mite Management Hub
Queensland's home for identifying, monitoring and managing Varroa destructor — training videos, factsheets and the resources our beekeepers need to stay productive.
The Queensland Beekeepers' Association is bringing together everything you need to manage Varroa with confidence — practical, Queensland-specific guidance in one place. Explore the training series, download the factsheets, and check the latest management zones below.
Where to begin
Three things every beekeeper should know
What Varroa is
Varroa destructor is an external parasite of honey bees. Learn to recognise the mite and why it changes how we keep bees.
Monitor your hives
Regular alcohol washes and drone uncapping reveal mite loads early. Our videos walk you through each method.
If you find Varroa
Don't move bees or equipment. Call Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 straight away to limit spread.
2025 QBA State Conference
Conference session recordings
Eleven recorded sessions from the 2025 QBA State Conference.
Pollination — Expert Panel Discussion
Rachel Chambers (QFVG), Clare Hamilton-Bate (Australian Macadamia Society), Rachel Mackenzie (Berries Australia)
Watch on YouTubeBeekeeping with Varroa — Panel Discussion
Jon Lockwood, Ben Laybutt and Daryl Brenton, followed by questions from the floor
Watch on YouTubeSthn Cross Uni Bee Lab Update & Tropilaelaps Research in Detection & Control
Dr Cooper Schouten
Watch on YouTubeDownloads
Factsheets & guides
Print-ready PDFs for the shed or your next branch meeting.
Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice
The national AHBIC Code of Practice for beekeepers.
National Bee Biosecurity Program Manual
The Queensland bee biosecurity manual.
About Varroa Mite
An introduction to Varroa and what it means for beekeepers.
Approved Treatments Table
AHBIC registered chemical treatment options.
Hive movement records
Queensland Government requirements for moving hives.
Report a suspected detection
Submit a report to Biosecurity Queensland via Survey123.
Where it is
Varroa in Queensland — maps & zones
Always check the official Biosecurity Queensland map before moving hives.
Your contacts
Biosecurity officers
Your direct line to Varroa support in the field.
Tonia Johnson
Tonia brings extensive beekeeping experience to her role, including work in large-scale commercial operations in New Zealand. She later relocated to Australia, where she assisted in the New South Wales Varroa Mite response before joining Biosecurity Queensland as a Varroa Development Officer. She now serves as a Bee Biosecurity Officer under Biosecurity Queensland and the National Bee Biosecurity Program (NBBP), drawing on her practical, hands-on industry experience to educate and support Queensland beekeepers. As an active beekeeper herself, Tonia has a strong understanding of the challenges faced by the industry and the realities of managing bees in today's environment.
In her role, Tonia supports Queensland honey bee stakeholders through education and training on both established and exotic honey bee pests and diseases. She also helps beekeepers understand and meet their General Biosecurity Obligation (GBO). Guided by the National Bee Biosecurity Program and the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice, her goal is to make bee biosecurity practical, accessible and easy to incorporate into everyday beekeeping.
Supported through the honey bee biosecurity levy.
Sarah Hickman
Sarah grew up around beekeeping, with both her grandfather and stepfather keeping bees, instilling in her a lifelong fascination with insects, especially honey bees. Her commercial beekeeping experience began in New Zealand, where she gained firsthand experience managing varroa and learning the importance of Integrated Pest Management in a synthetic-chemical-free operation.
That experience ultimately led Sarah back to Queensland to join the “mite fight” as a Varroa Development Officer, a role she held for 12 months before transitioning into her current position as Engagement Officer with the Varroa Mite Innovation and Resilience Initiative (VMIRI). In her role, Sarah supports beekeepers through education, guidance, resources and industry engagement, and works with pollination-reliant industries to raise awareness of the current Queensland varroa situation and the challenges varroa may create.
Sarah also works closely with Queensland's Biosecurity Champions network — a dedicated group of volunteer beekeepers who act as a supportive bridge between government and industry, sharing information, updates and resources with clubs and communities across the state.
Get involved
Contribute to current vital research
Queensland beekeepers are invited to take part in important Varroa research. Take a look at the project flyer to see how you can get involved and help shape the future of beekeeping in Queensland.
View the project flyerStay connected
QBA membership
Join the Queensland Beekeepers' Association, or log in to the member portal.
Queensland Beekeepers' Association Inc. · Supporting beekeepers since 1886
General guidance only — always follow current Biosecurity Queensland directions.
