The Backyard Beekeeper

Wednesday Varroa Update — 19/08/26

This lot in the picture aren’t going to fix this for us… until we make them talk about it.

Right now, our best weapon is making enough noise that they can’t ignore us.

🐝 We need 10,000 signatures.
🏛️ 10,000 signatures means this issue can be brought before Parliament.
⏱️ It takes around 2 minutes to sign.

Two minutes.

That’s all we’re asking.

This isn’t just about beekeepers. Varroa affects our bees, our beekeeping industry, our farmers, our food production and ultimately millions of Australians.

Surely, between all of us, we can find 10,000 people willing to spend two minutes to stand behind our beekeepers and our bees?

PLEASE SIGN IT. 🐝

Then do one more thing…

👉 Share this post.
👉 Tag your friends.
👉 Send it to your family.
👉 Ask your friends to ask their friends.

10,000 signatures doesn’t happen because someone else does it.

It happens because YOU do it — and then you get someone else to do it too.

Let’s make them hear us.

10,000 signatures. 2 minutes. One very important message.

🐝 Stand with our beekeepers. Stand with our bees.

PLEASE SIGN & SHARE.

Thanks to Jeff WeJeff Weckeris



https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN10425?fbclid=IwZnRzaATyZXRwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5eulAjLoIQHTExtM8uV5QHCXLN59q6KWJHGB8UBydnO2pfl8iSbsQPvJFvYg_aem_bMPvBdy2nA_zwiDcx3nCxw

Varroa Update — Week Ending 16/08/26

THE GOOD. 🐝❤️

This week, we’re doing something a little different.

No bad. No ugly. Just GOOD.

As the Brisbane Ekka wraps up, it’s time to recognise something that deserves a huge amount of credit — the incredible effort that has gone into the QBA stand over the past week.

With an expected 400,000+ people attending the Ekka this year, an enormous number have walked through the QBA stand, tasted Queensland honey, enjoyed the famous honey popcorn, and — perhaps most importantly — learned about what our industry is facing with Varroa and the enormous impact it is having on beekeepers, growers, agriculture and our food security.

And behind it all has been the MnM crew — Murray & Megan

What these two have put into this stand has been nothing short of extraordinary.

The energy.
The commitment.
The countless hours.
The organisation.
The passion.
The willingness to simply get in there and make it happen.

And let’s remember — six weeks ago, there may not have even been a QBA stand at the Ekka.

Yet here we are.

A stand that has put Queensland beekeeping directly in front of hundreds of thousands of people at one of Queensland’s biggest events.

That doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens because people care.

So, Murray and Megan — a massive THANK YOU. 👏🐝

Thank you for the time you’ve given up.
Thank you for the energy you’ve poured into it.
Thank you for representing Queensland beekeepers.
And thank you for contributing to our industry at a time when it matters more than ever.

And of course, thank you to every volunteer who gave up their time to help at the stand.

It was fantastic to see beekeepers coming together, catching up, sharing stories, having a laugh and — most importantly — talking to members of the public who may have had absolutely no idea what our industry has been through over the past year.

Every conversation matters.

Every person who walked away understanding Varroa a little better matters.

Every jar of honey tasted matters.

Every story shared matters.

Because this isn’t just about bees.

It’s about Australian agriculture. It’s about food production. It’s about growers. It’s about beekeepers. And ultimately, it’s about all of us.

So today, let’s put the politics, frustration and negativity aside for a moment.

Today is about saying THANK YOU.

To Murray.
To Megan
To every volunteer.
To the QBA.
And to everyone who has stepped forward and contributed.

This is what an industry looks like when people show up for each other. 🐝❤️

And if you’re sitting there thinking, “I’d like to do more. I’d like to be part of this.”

DO IT.

Join the QBA.
Put your hand up.
Volunteer.
Get involved.
Have your voice heard.

Because our industry doesn’t need spectators.

It needs beekeepers who are prepared to stand up and be counted.

See you at the next one. 🐝🇦🇺

Well… you decide. How did our government decision-makers perform?

Following AHBIC’s recent announcement that the Australian Government will provide no support to the beekeeping industry, it’s hard to describe the overwhelming sense of disappointment.

For eight weeks, there were promises that the industry was being heard. Meetings were held. Roundtables were organised. Countless hours were invested.

Danny and the team at AHBIC, industry representatives, beekeepers, and many others worked tirelessly behind the scenes.
I know we had many one-on-one discussions with ministers, constructed detailed action papers, media engagement, and countless conversations aimed at finding a practical path forward and that's been exhausting let alone what AHBIC went through.

And after all of that…

Nothing.

Eight weeks. Tens of thousands of dollars spent on organising meetings and countless hours donated by people who genuinely care about Australia’s food security, pollination, and beekeeping industry.

All for what?

The people who keep bees weren’t asking for handouts. They were asking for leadership, action, and recognition of an industry that underpins billions of dollars in Australian agriculture.

Instead, they’ve been told “No.”

It’s difficult not to wonder what it will actually take for Canberra to understand the scale of this crisis. How many more beekeepers need to walk away? How many more colonies need to be lost before someone finally listens?

The silence speaks louder than the meetings ever did.

Point to note - Tom Smith State Member for Bundaberg did call me today to discuss and has promised to raise our concerns further.

Some interesting stories on varroa that Peter compiled from 14 Australian beekeepers to try and help others when they experience varroa for the first time.

https://thebeestore.com.au/blogs/bee-blog/varroa-stories-hub?se_activity_id=179361284245&syclid=d9oo8rk29npc73dstoc0&utm_campaign=Varroa+in+Australia%3A+what+14+beekeepers+have+learned_179361284245&utm_medium=email&utm_source=shopify_email

🐝 VARROA UPDATE – Week Ending 26th July 🐝

The Good 🌼

For the first time in what feels like an eternity… there’s genuine reason to smile.

Across most Brisbane suburbs, the environmental pressure from “mite bombs” is finally beginning to ease. There are still a few hotspots hanging on, but after almost 12 months of what has undoubtedly been the toughest beekeeping season many of us have ever experienced, we’re finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

Mother Nature is lending a hand too. Early spring conditions have arrived with excellent nectar and pollen flows, giving colonies the nutrition they’ve desperately needed. Strong brood patterns are returning, populations are building, and many hives are beginning to look like bees again instead of survivors.

It’s a welcome sight… and one we’ve all worked incredibly hard for.

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The Bad ⚠️

Don’t pack away the mite wash kits just yet…

This battle is far from over.

Over the coming weeks you’ll see booming colonies, hive splits, fresh queens and plenty of optimism. But with rapid population growth comes a hidden danger. As colonies expand and unmanaged hives begin collapsing, the next wave of mite bombs is almost inevitable.

Our prediction? Summer and autumn will once again test beekeepers across South East Queensland, and next time we may not have the same abundance of pollen and nectar to help colonies recover.

The silver lining? We’ve all learnt a tremendous amount over the past year. We know what works, what doesn’t, and how quickly things can unravel.

Stay vigilant.
Keep monitoring.
Keep mite washing.
Keep treating when required.

The beekeepers who stay one step ahead will be the ones still smiling next season.

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The Ugly 💀

Unfortunately, some areas are still right in the firing line.

Kenmore, Brookfield, Samford Valley, Eatons Hill and Cashmere continue to experience extremely high environmental pressure from nearby collapsing colonies.

We’ve personally recorded mite wash counts well into the hundreds in untreated hives throughout these areas.

That tells us one thing…

The mites are still everywhere.

If you’re keeping bees in these suburbs, don’t assume because your bees look healthy that they’re safe. Monitor regularly, act early and don’t wait until the damage is visible.

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👏 Special Mention – Queensland Beekeepers Association (QBA)

Many recreational beekeepers may not realise that Queensland has an industry body dedicated to representing beekeepers across the state.

The Queensland Beekeepers Association (QBA) is run by volunteers who quietly donate countless hours behind the scenes for the benefit of our industry.

Under the leadership of Brad Jenson and a renewed committee, there’s a real sense of momentum. A fresh new look is underway with improvements to both the website and newsletter, and July’s edition was one of the most informative and comprehensive updates we’ve seen.

Well done to everyone involved.

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🐝 EKKA is Almost Here!

Every year the QBA proudly hosts the beekeeping display at the Ekka.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase what we all love—live bees, hive displays, honey tasting, education and, most importantly, introducing thousands of people to the incredible world of beekeeping.

One question we get asked all the time is:

“How can we help Australian beekeepers?”

Here’s one of the best ways…

Volunteer for a a day at the QBA stand.

You’ll meet great people, help educate the public, promote our industry and have a lot of fun doing it.

Wifey and I will be there each morning on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th August, so if you’re coming along, please stop and say hello.

If you’re able to volunteer, get in touch with Murray at the QBA or reach out via their page—they’d greatly appreciate the extra hands.

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📸 Picture of the Week

These two beautiful queens were bred by The Backyard Beekeeper last season.

They’ve survived the Varroa storm with flying colours and are now producing enormous brood patterns heading into spring—a great reminder that with good genetics, good management and persistence, stronger days are ahead.

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As always…

Constructive discussion is always welcome. The useless comments? They’ll disappear faster than a drone after mating season. 😉

Have a fantastic week everyone, stay safe, keep mite washing and here’s hoping spring rewards all the hard work you’ve put in.

Thanks,

The Backyard Beekeeping Team
Rick, Gracie, Stevo & Wifey

Wednesday 22nd on the varroa front in QLD

Feel free to share.... the pressure is somewhat left wanting as it's out of mainstream media and so off the political pressure switch, so the care factor is back to zero.....

Fell free to write to our MP's and Ministers...
Universal letter for copy and paste will be put in comments

Thanks for the support