A team of 48 specialised Varroa Trainers have been upskilled and appointed across every Australian state and territory to help beekeepers prepare for Varroa mite.
The announcement regarding trainer deployment from the National Varroa Mite Management Program (NVMMP) comes just over twelve months after the decision to transition to ongoing management of the mite.
National Varroa Transition to Management Coordinator Tamara Prentice said the detection of Varroa mite in June 2022 has forever changed Australia's beekeeping landscape.
"Following the decision to transition to management, the National Management Group agreed that widespread education and training was essential for industries to continue to move forward", Ms Prentice said.
"This is a positive outcome for all beekeepers, and I urge them to take advantage of the trainers' expertise, even if the parasite has yet to be detected in their area."
The appointment of dedicated Varroa Trainers across all states and territories coincides with the conclusion of the Varroa Train the Trainer program.
Ms Prentice stressed that ongoing training remained paramount in managing the mite.
"The NVMMP will continue to roll-out additional Varroa Mite Management Workshops next year," she said.
"These workshops have been very popular with beekeepers since the first sessions were held in February this year.
"Since then, over 5,400 beekeepers have taken part in 76 workshops held across the country.
"The cohort of beekeepers trained collectively manage more than 35 per cent of registered hives nationally."
Ms Prentice said attendees had reported a significant increase in mite and pest knowledge and skills following participation in workshops, and 99% of attendees saying they would recommend the workshop.
Varroa Mite Management Workshops are suitable for both recreational and commercial beekeepers and cover topics including integrated pest management, Varroa impacts, non-chemical and chemical treatment options and record-keeping.
The National Varroa Mite Management Program has a further 272 workshops already locked in for 2025.
"We set an ambitious target of hosting more than one hundred Varroa Mite Management Workshops across the country," Ms Prentice said.
"We're pleased to report that we're well on track on reaching this target by the conclusion of the program."
"And by extending training opportunities until August 2025, we're providing beekeepers not yet impacted by the mite with additional time to access training in preparation."
In addition to hosting Varroa Mite Management Workshops, the NVMMP also provides beekeepers with electronic communications, online webinars and video learning resources.
For more infomration on the National Varroa management Program, please visit - www.varroa.org.au.
Beekeepers who have yet to attend a free Varroa Mite Management Workshop can view and book an upcoming session at www.varroa.org.au/training.
