About Me.
Hi, I’m Harry Makkar, a passionate young beekeeper from the Riverland region of South Australia. I began beekeeping at the age of 11, starting with just a few backyard hives that quickly sparked a lifelong passion for understanding and protecting bees. What began as a small hobby soon turned into a serious drive to learn everything about beekeeping, from genetics and queen breeding to hive management and colony resilience. I created Varroa Ready SA to help South Australian hobbyist beekeepers prepare for the arrival of the Varroa mite. This pest has already reshaped the future of beekeeping across the country.
Early in my journey, a commercial beekeeper once told me that “beekeeping won’t be a viable industry anymore because of the cost of Varroa treatment.” Instead of discouraging me, those words became my motivation. They inspired me to learn, innovate, and prove that through education, breeding, and resilience, our bees and our beekeepers can adapt and survive.
Since then, I’ve spent countless hours researching, interviewing, and learning from professional queen breeders, scientists, and experienced beekeepers across Australia and New Zealand. I’ve gathered a considerable amount of information from these conversations, from local surveys, and from my own hive experiences. This website brings all that knowledge together in a space where I share reliable, practical information to support our beekeeping community better.
Varroa Ready SA is more than just a website; it’s a place where people can connect, share experiences, and contribute their own insights, almost like an information hub or “knowledge dump” for South Australian beekeepers who want to stay ahead.
For me, beekeeping is more than a hobby; it’s my future career and lifelong passion. My goal is to keep expanding my apiary, continue breeding locally adapted queens, and help educate others so that South Australia remains a strong, sustainable, and Varroa-ready community for years to come.
Meet the Team
Harry & the Bees are a buzzing duo on a mission to save South Australian beekeeping one sting at a time. I handle the research, interviews, and endless website edits, while my bees take care of the flying, foraging, and occasional attitude problems. Together, we’ve built Varroa Ready SA to help beekeepers stay informed, share ideas, and prepare for the challenges of Varroa.
This tiny pest somehow manages to cause big drama in every hive it visits.
Our team might be small, just me and a few thousand co-workers who don’t believe in personal space, but we’re determined to make a significant impact. Every inspection, swarm, and queen raised brings us closer to a stronger, more resilient South Australia.
Harry Makkar, CEO, Head of Research, Web Designer, and Chief Bee-Wrangler.
The Bees, Flight Crew, Honey Engineers, and Masters of Chaos
About Varroa Ready SA
Discover the world of beekeeping through our fortnightly blogs on varroa and queen breeding. Stay informed and learn about varroa mites, queen bee breeding, and more. Join us on this new journey of exploration and education.
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Overview
Our Mission
Varroa Ready SA is dedicated to educating South Australian beekeepers about the varroa mite and its impact on hive health. Discover treatment options and effective practices.
Varroa Ready SA is designed to help you take on your hives with confidence, bridging the knowledge gap between commercial and hobbyist beekeepers. Whether you run two hives or two hundred, this site equips you with practical, science-based strategies to strengthen colony health, build resilience, and prepare for the challenge of Varroa. Together, we’re creating a community where every beekeeper, big or small, has the tools and confidence to protect their bees and the future of beekeeping in South Australia.
