What Are Varroa Mites And Why Is Australia Putting Their Honey Bees On Lockdown?

This deadly parasite could change beekeeping in Australia forever.

By Monica Cull
Jun 29, 2022 8:55 PMJun 29, 2022 8:56 PM
Varroa Mite
(Credit:Igor Chus/Shutterstock)

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Bees are vital to our survival. They help pollinate our food and keep our ecosystem in balance. Without them, there would be massive food shortages and ecological collapse. While we rely on bees for food, so too does another organism — the Varroa mite. 

These parasitic insects are the bane to any bee, beekeeper and bee enthusiast’s existence. They’re responsible for wiping out most of the wild honey bee population. This is why beekeepers in Australia have worked so hard to keep the parasite off the continent, until now. 

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