New potentially devastating disease hits bee industry
Government inspectors put hive owners on alert
Published:
BEEKEEPERS were put on a new alert last night after a second potentially devastating bee disease was confirmed in Perthshire.
The Scottish Government said American foul brood was found in four hives in three apiaries in an undisclosed area of the county.
The outbreak comes just weeks after European foul brood, a similar disease which kills the larvae of honey bees, was confirmed in hives in Perthshire and Angus.
The European version was found virtually by accident in June after bee inspectors investigated a so-called “dangerous contact” between a Scottish beekeeper and a unit in the north of England infected with American brood.
There does not appear to be any link between the English and Perthshire American brood outbreaks.
Sources indicated the case was on a separate apiary from the one that had the direct English contact.
The Scottish Government – widely criticised for poor communications and a delay in informing beekeepers – appeared to make amends last night as it issued a news release immediately on the confirmation of the new scare.
Unlike the European brood there are no antibiotic treatments for the American version.
Infected colonies will have to be destroyed by law. Four hives already have been.
A surveillance zone has been set up around the confirmed cases and new inspections are being made by all eight of the government’s bee inspectors.
The statement added: “Bee farmers and beekeepers are being urged to be vigilant for signs of the disease, to maintain good husbandry practices and to notify the local area office of the Scottish Government’s Inspections and Payments Directorate if they suspect either disease.”
The Euyropean disease is noted for the smell of rotting fish it causes in infected hives.
Inspectors have already checked 1,093 hives in Tayside. There have been 61 confirmed cases and 40 hives destroyed.
The outbreak is thought to have been going on for two years after a beekeeper mistakenly believed his operation had been infected by varroa, the bloodsucking mite that kills bees.
More than 7,000 hives in an area of Scotland from the south of Aberdeenshire to the river Tay are potentially at risk.
It is thought the disease may also have spread as far south as Dunblane, into Fife and along the Angus coast.
Gavin Ramsay, the Scottish Beekeepers Association disease convener, said the new outbreak was very worrying, although it is thought to be less contagious than its virulent European relative.
“The message to beekeepers is to be vigilant and to continue to be wary about moving hives to the heather,” he added.
Mr Ramsay also appealed to owners to check hives and to contact the government if they had problems. More is available at www.scottishbee keepers.org.uk
