General News
23 September, 2026
Painful bee sting
A CONFIRMATION of Varroa destructor in the Cassowary Coast region has sent shockwaves through Far North Queensland’s apiary sector, prompting swift control measures by beekeepers and urgent calls for heightened biosecurity across local apiaries.
Earlier this month Biosecurity Queensland confirmed three separate detections in the region – two suspect cases in Cardwell and El Arish and a third unlinked detection in Innisfail.
The incursions mark the first time the devastating parasite has been officially identified in North Queensland.
While the infected hives were promptly destroyed at the discretion of the affected beekeepers, authorities warn that the threat of further spread remains acute.
In response, local bee health advocates and state agricultural officials are mobilising to transition from eradication strategies to active management, urging every hive keeper in the region to adopt strict biosecurity protocols immediately.
Nader Sallam, vice president and ‘biosecurity champion’ for the Cairns and District Beekeepers Association, acknowledged that while the arrival of the mite was long anticipated, its sudden northern leap came as a reality check for the local industry.
The mite was expected later this year or in 2027.
According to B-QUAL, a comprehensive food safety and quality assurance certification program, Varroa destructor is a “reddish-brown, oval-shaped mite, visible to the naked eye and roughly the size of a pinhead.”
“It reproduces in capped brood cells, where the female mite lays eggs on developing bee larvae. As the young bees grow, so do the mites, emerging from the cell with their host to begin their parasitic life cycle.”
Mr Sallam pointed out that local networks have been preparing for the scenario through specialised workshops and active planning.
“We at the Cairns Bee Club have participated in and organised several Varroa biosecurity workshops,” he said.
“We have been preparing for the day the mite is detected in Cairns or in neighbouring districts.
“We have applied for grants to secure Varroa control equipment and we plan to coordinate and assist with Varroa integrated pest management plans with our members to ensure a critical mass of beekeepers are doing the right thing.”
A Department of Primary Industries (DPI) spokesman confirmed that samples from the Cassowary Coast detections have been dispatched to the Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory in Brisbane for miticide resistance testing to identify the exact strain.
“The Department of Primary Industries is working closely with Queensland beekeepers in the transition to management to help slow the spread of Varroa mite and guide management practices,” the DPI spokesman said.
“Varroa mite and varroa resistance continue to create a challenging environment for all beekeepers – hobbyist, recreational, and commercial – nationally.”
The spokesman noted that state support is being rolled out via the ‘Community Bee Innovation Fund’ grant program to boost biosecurity, increase business resilience, and shield local industries and ecosystems from the pest’s long-term
Read More: Cassowary Coast