Newsletter

EFB, etc.

European Foul Brood, as its name suggests, only affects the brood in our hives and as the colder, winter weather approaches its presence in our hive will diminish. The queen will have stopped laying and the absence of any larvae means that the bacteria have no host to feed on and so lie dormant in the hive until the next season. All this means that we can not relax at all. Our Standstill Order is still in place and our stringent hygiene rule should still be observed. If anything our hygiene rules have to be strengthened if we are to start the next season with a disease-free apiary.

EFB Again!

The inspectors visited once again on Wednesday 30 July, and the news is not good. Once again they found European Foul Brood in two hives. Although the news is not what we would have wished for our fellow beekeepers, it is not as bad as it could have been. One hive is so infected and the brood so weak that it will unfortunately have to be destroyed, however the other hive is strong so the bees can be save by using shook swarm method.

It is disappointing that we cannot seem to shake off this infection and one thing that came to light as the hives were inspected was that some hives were not being managed well enough. It is important that we all keep an eye on our hives and keep to the guidelines published again in this newsletter. Hives should, at the moment, be inspected weekly, if you are unable to do this please get in touch with the Apiary Management team who will make sure that someone opens your hive and checks it’s health. If you have any doubts about the state of your hive please inform one of the apiary management team who will look at it with you. They, unfortunately, have now had enough experience of looking at EFB to be able to make a fairly good diagnosis.

The apiary is still on a Standstill Order and we have to abide by the strict rule that the order imposes. However we must not become discouraged, as beekeepers we are providing a vital service to our environment and our community. And although they may not stand up and cheer us as we drive into Sainsburys or Tescos car park for our weekly shop our neighbours will miss us if we give up. On the subject of Shook Swarm, there are copies if the Defra leaflets on this method in the tin shed. Please take and read.

EFB Continues!

I have just returned from the apiary inspection by the Regional Bee Inspectors and the news is not good. We still have European Foul Brood at the Hampton Court Apiary.

This time it was found in two hive and it has to be said that it was in hives that we least expected to find it in. Our sympathies are with our members who now have to deal with the aftermath. It also means that the Standstill Order is still in place for the Apiary and as a committee we would ask that all our members who visit the Hampton Court Apiary abide by the rules of the order. Particularly those of you who do not come down to the apiary on Saturday afternoons to maintain your hive. Please follow the procedure opposite whilst at the apiary.