Bendigo Branch Report

Reported positive Varroa mite tests represented by the yellow “present” hexagons on the BeeMAX Varroa map https://bees.agriculture.vic.gov.au/Public/Varroa are now joining up across Bendigo showing that Varroa is fairly widespread throughout Bendigo, surrounding districts in late January 2026 and, in my apiary.

Either you have Varroa and have found it, have Varroa and don‘t know it, or will have it in a hive near you, unfortunately.

Education and resources are available thanks to the VAA and the Victorian Varroa Development Officers (VDO‘s).

Bendigo Branch will continue to discuss Varroa testing, location updates, members‘ experiences, treatment plans and ongoing discussions at the monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of the month at the Quality Lakeside Hotel.

Following on from the VDO education workshops, members of Victorian Apiarist clubs attended a Specialist Varroa training day to gain further knowledge and resources to assist colleagues at clubs around the state. The Specialist training was well organised, with a great collection of knowledgeable speakers from NSW and Victoria. The organisers provided participants with: Record keeping template – for treatment of bees for Varroa https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/chemicals/keeping-records-of-chemical-use/record-keeping-format-and-templates/Record-keeping-template-Treatment-of-bees-or-beekeeping-equipment-with-agricultural-and-veterinary-chemicals.pdf; Varroa Mite booklet; Surveillance and Monitoring Techniques handout; and a calendar printout highlighting weekly averages for minimum/maximum temperatures, Brood population, Drones, Swarming and Natural Brood breaks to assist identifying treatment options.

Varroa management, A practical guide on how to manage Varroa mites in honey bee colonies by Dr Kirsty Stainton (entomologist and Varroa research specialist) published by Northern Bee Books 2022, is an excellent resource covering Varroa biology, virus effects and it compares UK approved treatments, that align with a majority of local approved options.

Kirsty Stainton and a NSW Beekeeping group recorded an online session on 11 Oct 2025, available on YouTube with some great content, I recommend skipping to 7:45 minutes into the recording. Ask your office bearers to advise who attended from your group for local resources to discuss your Varroa queries.

Stafford Kelly has presented to Bendigo and Melbourne Branches providing a thought provoking overview of treatment plans, providing supporting information to assist beekeepers to formulate their own plan to suit their situation and conditions. Stafford has conducted follow up sessions in Bendigo helping unpick the myriad of treatment options, emphasising the considerations required when making reinfestation treatment plans, understanding local conditions with treatment deficiencies for longer term planning options.

As Varroa spreads throughout your region it is incredibly valuable to learn from the likes of Stafford, Andrew Wootton, Matt Peterson, VDO‘s and others willing to share their experiences, and knowledge to break down reinfestation phase treatment planning into logical steps.

All the best in your Beekeeping,

Jamie Trimby