Afb

[ladaok]

How are you containing AFB, in the UK.

Do you have a National policy on the elimination of

Who pays for the control, inspection, and science

Many questions, perhaps I can be directed to research papers

The reason I ask, is here in New Zealand, AFB is our #1 enemy. We have had an elimination policy for many many years. Frankly, looking at the results statistically, it would seem there has been no headway in elimination

Our top scientists in this disease, acknowledge that, 99.999% of all hives in NZ have AFB !! Luckily, only some progress to show ' clinical ' signs. ( And there's the vital question )

Of those that do show ' clinical ' signs, 30 +/- % succumb quickly to the disease, another 30 +/- % show an improvement over a variable time frame, but then the hive will collapse. The balance, seem to shake off the disease, and carry on
s
We as beekeepers PAY an annual levy, based on numbers of apiaries and hives. I fear, our costs are going to skyrocket very soon, So far, the systems and science aren't working

 

[Poly Hive]

Sadly I suspect there is very little in the way of science here as for many decades now there has been no bee science conducted in the UK.

Germany might be a better bet as they have Bee Institutes in each province.

PH

 

[pargyle]

Fortunately, AFB in the UK is not endemic .. we get isolated outbreaks most years. AFB is notifiable, the Bee Inspector will attend and the colony is killed and the frames/comb and any zinc coated queen excluders are burnt. The boxes are then flamed or chemically sterilised.

We haven't been able to eradicate it and it's still a fear for beekeepers but these measures and the awareness of the disease seem to keep it largely contained.

 

[Pete D]

How are you containing AFB, in the UK.

Do you have a National policy on the elimination of

Who pays for the control, inspection, and science

Yes, we have a destruction policy in the UK.
Control and inspection is by the National Bee Unit, part of APHA, Animal and Plant Health Agency. Funded by government in one way or another (EU).
Bee health science is done by FERA Science.
http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/

http://fera.co.uk/agriculture-horticulture/environment-and-land-use/pollinators.cfm

 

[ladaok]

Ta, I'll go through those links, ....any info gratefully sought


As a percentage, how many hives are lost through AFB / annum

Do you have AFB recognition courses

 

[alldigging]

Ta, I'll go through those links, ....any info gratefully sought


As a percentage, how many hives are lost through AFB / annum

Do you have AFB recognition courses

You can read through the annual reports
http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?pageid=168

There are bee health days where we can get to see real AFB and EFB frames. (And exotic pests etc)

 

[Finman]

.
In Scandinavia and in Germany AFB treatment is very different from NZ and From Britain. They do not burn their bees. Bees and even brood are saved and moved onto foundations.
.

 

[pargyle]

.
In Scandinavia and in Germany AFB treatment is very different from NZ and From Britain. They do not burn their bees. Bees and even brood are saved and moved onto foundations.
.

Yes ... and which country has the lowest incidence of AFB in Europe ? Seems that the British way works well to me ?

 

[mbc]

How are you containing AFB, in the UK.

Do you have a National policy on the elimination of

Who pays for the control, inspection, and science

Many questions, perhaps I can be directed to research papers

The reason I ask, is here in New Zealand, AFB is our #1 enemy. We have had an elimination policy for many many years. Frankly, looking at the results statistically, it would seem there has been no headway in elimination

Our top scientists in this disease, acknowledge that, 99.999% of all hives in NZ have AFB !! Luckily, only some progress to show ' clinical ' signs. ( And there's the vital question )

Of those that do show ' clinical ' signs, 30 +/- % succumb quickly to the disease, another 30 +/- % show an improvement over a variable time frame, but then the hive will collapse. The balance, seem to shake off the disease, and carry on
s
We as beekeepers PAY an annual levy, based on numbers of apiaries and hives. I fear, our costs are going to skyrocket very soon, So far, the systems and science aren't working

Interesting, I was given to understand colonies which didn't express clinical symptoms quite quickly reduced the bacillus to undetectable levels, maybe I'm looking at old research:
http://pub.epsilon.slu.se/1053/

 

[Finman]

Yes ... and which country has the lowest incidence of AFB in Europe ? Seems that the British way works well to me ?

Halleluja
.

 

[mazzamazda]

How are you containing AFB, in the UK.

Do you have a National policy on the elimination of

Who pays for the control, inspection, and science

Many questions, perhaps I can be directed to research papers

The reason I ask, is here in New Zealand, AFB is our #1 enemy. We have had an elimination policy for many many years. Frankly, looking at the results statistically, it would seem there has been no headway in elimination

Our top scientists in this disease, acknowledge that, 99.999% of all hives in NZ have AFB !! Luckily, only some progress to show ' clinical ' signs. ( And there's the vital question )

Of those that do show ' clinical ' signs, 30 +/- % succumb quickly to the disease, another 30 +/- % show an improvement over a variable time frame, but then the hive will collapse. The balance, seem to shake off the disease, and carry on
s
We as beekeepers PAY an annual levy, based on numbers of apiaries and hives. I fear, our costs are going to skyrocket very soon, So far, the systems and science aren't working

Are you being personally affected by AFB? I have to say after needlessly burning so many hives, being terrified of it for years I can now say thanks to a certain very knowledgeable person on here, often dismissed as annoying and even banned he has changed my stance on AFB. I'm really not bothered or scared by it now, I just see it like Varroa, a pest, a pain but easily sorted.

I treat, I use Tylan (Tylosine), I do a full shook swarm and treat for 3 weeks, then after that I do another shook swarm to get rid of the antibiotic, I dont sell that colony or take honey from it but I do split it and mark it. Last years AFB colony is this years strongest colony and is currently a double brood queen rearer. I do destroy frames BEFORE they are what I would say properly infected. I dont usually scortch the hives as you say, most colonies have AFB. I had one hive 2 days ago, very strong Langstroth hive, I burned the frames today, I did take pics and I'll try and post them. IMO the key to success with AFB is to catch it early and by that I mean looking for dark dead larvae.

 

[Beefriendly]

I treat, I use Tylan (Tylosine), I do a full shook swarm and treat for 3 weeks, then after that I do another shook swarm to get rid of the antibiotic,

That sort of thing can get you into trouble in the UK. Not allowed to treat it legally. It's slash and burn policy.

 

[Finman]

That sort of thing can get you into trouble in the UK. Not allowed to treat it legally. It's slash and burn policy.

Best is Bailey comb changing without any reason. Shake and burn.
.

 

[Beefriendly]

Shake and burn.
.

LOL. Nice one Finman

 

[ladaok]

bugger ! ...... my k/b isn't worklng. somehow, I have screwed with the start up bios, i'm having to use the on screen k/b ....how can I alter the bloody thing if the k/b won't go ? ....i'll get back once this wee problem is sorted .... LOL

 

[Finman]

.
And what is that k/b ?

 

[mazzamazda]

That sort of thing can get you into trouble in the UK. Not allowed to treat it legally. It's slash and burn policy.

Same here! I think with the amount of afb in the UK it works. Here I have a case every year, without fail it endemic here unfortunately.

 

[alfazer]

.
And what is that k/b ?

Kiwi for keyboard.

 

[Finman]

Kiwi for keyboard.

Amen

 

[Nige.Coll]

There are a lot of educational events about diseases every year.
Bee disease days are a great thing to go on.

I'm not surprised how it has spread across the USA, suppress it with antibiotics then ship bees from one end of the country to another. The amount of crap some stick in their hives is quite surprising. And they do it blindly without any thought.

Some American beekeepers are fantastic and have changed beekeeping for the better but the average ones found on social media seem to lack basic knowledge.