EFB – European Foul Brood – was confirmed in four colonies at our Kings Hill Training apiary. This is very disappointing after a similar episode in 2021 and our training team is in high dudgeon. The apiary is now on standstill – nothing to go in and nothing to go out – and the affected colonies have been destroyed. The frames and comb from broods and supers, including those from supers already taken off and made-up frames in the bee shed, were also incinerated. Training has thus ceased for the rest of the season.
The seasonal bee inspector will be contacting all beekeepers registered on Bee-base within a 3 km radius to conduct disease inspections. To see if your apiaries are within this area it can be plotted on Google Earth using the postcode CV3 6PS . If you are within the area and have not registered on Bee-base, or are aware of other apiaries of non-Warwickshire Beekeepers’ Association members within this radius, please contact the bee inspector, Colleen Reichling Mobile: 07990 138898. This is a very easily transmittable disease and needs to be dealt with promptly if we are to limit its spread.
It is always a wise precaution to inspect your colonies for the range of diseases and this is a most appropriate time of year to do so. Recognition images of EFB are available on the National Bee Unit Website. This link will take you straight to the Media gallery APHA – National Bee Unit – BeeBase. Even one suspected cell should be reported. It is a statutory requirement. The importance of proper hygiene practices cannot be over emphasised, Bee suits should be washed clean after each inspection. Boots should be washed in a soda solution. Hive tools, smokers, gloves and any other equipment which comes in contact with the bees – Queen catchers, crowns of thorns etc. should also be washed in soda solution between inspections of each colony. Don’t swap frames between colonies.
EFB infection is not an indication of bad beekeeping. Failure to report it is.
We would also like to acknowledge the expressions of sympathy and support received from other Branches. It is much appreciated.
Bernard Brown