How do You Manage Varroa? – Beekeepers Asked to Aid Research

New Zealand beekeepers are being urged to have their say on one of the industry’s most persistent and costly challenges – varroa. A new nationwide survey, led by Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme participant and Comvita operations manager Robbie O’Brien, aims to capture real-world insights into how the mite is being managed on the ground. He’s asking beekeepers to take five minutes to complete the anonymous survey in the hope his research can help shape practical, industry-led solutions.

By Eloise Martyn

For Robbie O’Brien, being involved in the apiculture industry wasn’t just a career choice, it was a natural fit.

“I like being outside and what I saw was that beekeeping, over any other job, was diverse. You can be in a different farm each day—and who doesn’t like honey? Honey is amazing,” he says.

Comvita beekeeper Robbie O’Brien is the latest from the apiculture industry to undertake the Kellogg Leadership Programme and as part of his research he will need help from beekeepers to gain insights into their varroa management habits.

O’Brien’s journey began during a university holiday break, helping a Whanganui beekeeper harvest honey. What started as a hands-on experience soon developed into something much deeper. Over time, he became fascinated with bees – tiny yet powerful creatures with complex social structures, a tireless work ethic, and a vital role in sustaining our environment.

He has since obtained a National Certificate in Apiculture (Level 4) and has built extensive hands-on experience across the industry. Now, nearly 11 years into beekeeping with Comvita, he is no stranger to the apiculture industry and, as an operations manager, his role is broad and practical – overseeing operations, supporting team deployments, promoting a strong health and safety culture, and managing land access and logistics. He works closely with field teams and is often out on the ground himself, assessing hive sites and determining how many hives each property can sustainably support.

As part of his current Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme, he’s turning his attention to one of the biggest ongoing challenges facing beekeepers: varroa.

O’Brien has developed a short, anonymous survey (taking around five minutes) to explore how varroa is currently being monitored and managed across New Zealand. The aim is simple but important – to better understand what beekeepers are doing, the challenges they face, and where there may be opportunities to strengthen long-term control.

He’s calling on beekeepers nationwide to take part.

“Your input would be extremely valuable to the research,” O’Brien says.

Importantly, he stresses that the survey isn’t about solving varroa outright. Instead, it’s about building a clearer picture. By gathering insights from across the industry, he hopes to identify ways beekeepers can work more collaboratively and consistently to reduce colony losses.

“You can have one beekeeper on one side of the fence with an amazing varroa plan, yet the other beekeeper on the other side doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Before launching the survey, he undertook a literature study on varroa – reviewing existing research, scientific papers, and trusted sources to better understand what is already known about the mite and its impact on bees. This groundwork, combined with real-world insights from beekeepers, will help shape his final recommendations.

Alongside the survey, O’Brien is also conducting interviews to dive deeper into varroa management practices at different levels. He says hearing perspectives from beekeepers at all stages is incredibly valuable and welcomes anyone interested in taking part.

Once the survey closes, results will be analysed alongside interview feedback and existing research to form recommendations. He emphasises that these are not intended as rules or requirements, but as informed insights that could help guide the industry forward.

This is an opportunity for beekeepers to contribute to something bigger, with the potential to help build a more connected, informed, and resilient approach to varroa management in New Zealand.

Take the survey here: https://lincoln.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3jVmuqLcVdeY73w

Or get in touch directly to take part in an interview: robbiebobrien@gmail.com

Both the survey and interview opportunity will remain open until Tuesday 21 April.