How varroa mites might impact Australian pollinators

The parasitic varroa mite, detected in Australia in 2022, presents a significant challenge to managing European honeybees in the country and is expected to impact crops that rely on pollination services. Since 1990, the demand for beehives in Australia has tripled, largely due to increased horticulture pollination needs, particularly for tree nuts. However, the growth of commercially managed hives has struggled to keep up.

With Australia’s horticultural area projected to expand further, pollination needs are expected to rise significantly in the coming years. Insights from other countries that have already been affected by the varroa mite for years show a concerning trend: Hive numbers typically experience a sharp decline within the first five years following an outbreak, with recovery generally beginning six or more years later. We have developed modelled impact scenarios on Australian hive numbers from insights gained in other regions. All scenarios indicate a shortfall in Australia within three to five years due to the combined effects of the modelled varroa mite hive reduction and the strong growth of horticulture acreage.