Australia’s decision to abandon efforts to eradicate varroa mite is triggering an exodus of backyard and hobby beekeepers.

A lot of hives destroyed NSW Amateur Beekeepers Association president Lamorna Osborne said about a quarter of the association’s members had to euthanase hives as part of the varroa mite response.

They estimate hundreds of Flow Hive owners had to euthanise their hives as part of the varroa mite response, but hope those beekeepers will restock their colonies.

“So we hope we can encourage them back into beekeeping, and we know there’s many that are keen because we’re getting requests from those now orange zones — ‘when can I keep bees again?’”

Kempsey amateur beekeeper Stephen Hutson believes people would still want to keep bees.

“People have pets, and if you treat the cost of treatment and the time that you spend with them as you do with other pets then it’s not going to be a problem,” Mr Hutson said.