Alcohol washing is a quick and effective method for detecting the presence of Varroa and Tropilaelaps mites, as well as monitoring mite levels in a bee colony.
‘Bee Pest Blitz’ is a national campaign to increase awareness of the importance of bee biosecurity and encourage beekeepers to inspect hives for exotic pests.
Learn how to minimise the risk, diagnose, control and eradicate of American foulbrood disease (AFB) in your bee hives.
In colonies with large brood nests, up to 85% of Varroa mites can be found within capped brood cells, with a preference for drone brood.
A field guide to help beekeepers to identify the 4 serious brood diseases of bees — American foulbrood, European foulbrood, chalkbrood and sacbrood.
Laboratory honey culture tests can detect American foulbrood spores in extracted honey.
Nosema is a disease of honey bees. It can cause serious losses of adult bees and colonies in autumn and spring.
You are legally required to notify Agriculture Victoria if you know of, or suspect the presence of, one of the following pests or diseases of honey bees.
Learn how to collect samples from hives for laboratory diagnosis of American foulbrood, European foulbrood and nosema in honey bees.
The small hive beetle is a destructive beekeeping pest. The beetles choose weak colonies in which to breed.
Even though Varroa mite has not been detected in Victoria, beekeepers are encouraged to regularly sugar shake test their hives for Varroa mite.
American foulbrood (AFB) is an infectious notifiable disease of honey bee larvae and pupae.
Exotic honey bee parasites and pests are a serious threat to Australian honey bee colonies — early detection is crucial to limit their spread.
Wax moth is a damaging pest of beeswax combs, comb honey and bee-collected pollen.
An exotic parasitic mite that kills honey bee colonies and transmits honey bee viruses. Varroa does not occur in Australia.
The Braula fly (Braula coeca) is a small species of wingless fly that lives in honey bee colonies.
Varroa mite was detected in cargo at the Port of Melbourne in June 2018.
We acknowledge the traditional Aboriginal Owners of Country throughout Victoria, their ongoing connection to this land and we pay our respects to their culture and their Elders past, present and future.
