The varroa mite arrived in New Zealand in 2000 and spread throughout the country, wiping out thousands of hives but the beekeeping industry has bounced back.
Betta Bees breeding programme manager Frans Laas, of Dunedin, said commercial beekeeping in New Zealand was vibrant, although there were issues, such as disease and maintaining an adequate source of pollen, that required vigilance.''
In general, I think bee numbers in New Zealand are increasing quite dramatically to record levels. A few months ago, there were about 575,000 known beehives in the country and just under 6000 registered beekeepers,'' Mr Laas said.
About 98% of all bee colonies in New Zealand were owned by commercial beekeepers, he said.
''A lot of hobby beekeepers seem to be getting into it now and the commercial sector is strong.''
There were still major issues that needed to be controlled - New Zealand beekeepers were on top of varroa but challenges remained, he said.
''The other issue we're having is adequate sources of pollen. Some areas like Canterbury and the Wairarapa are having issues with collecting sufficient amounts of pollen.''
Dunedin Beekeepers Club secretary Tudor Caradoc-Davies said the club had about 40 members at present.
''Last year, we had 16 people join us and do our introductory course. Of those, 13 are still actively beekeeping,'' Mr Caradoc-Davies said.
He undertook a beekeeping course five years ago, looking for a way to keep busy after recovering from a stroke.
''It has quite a psychological effect on one when you become confident with bees - you really enjoy it and you sort of move into another space when you're up to your elbows in a hive with 10,000 bees flying around.
''We don't grow the hives just to make lots of honey - it's more for the bees and to make bees available to other people as well,'' Mr Caradoc-Davies said.
September is Bee Aware Month and this year the New Zealand apiculture industry is urging Kiwis to ''feed the bees''.
National Beekeepers Association chief executive Daniel Paul encouraged everyone to pitch in and help feed local bees by planting ''bee friendly'' plants in their gardens and on farms and roadsides.
The Dunedin City Council is one of 30 local councils throughout the country participating in Bee Aware Month by dedicating a patch of land in the community for a bee-friendly garden.
