CBPV that won't go away, or die off

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Chronic bee paralysis virus is horrible. I have two colonies that have had it for nearly a year. I I gave extra space, removed floors etc. One seemed to recover but has got it again. The other just won't give up, producing enough brood to cover the loss of all these dead bees that I keep sweeping away from the ground in front of the hive. Now I feel that it's not right to let these sick colonies go on any longer.

Can anything be saved? Is the brood likely to be infected (or at least contaminated) too? Is moving the brood to another colony a risk not worth taking? I've just got a swarm in a bait hive and wondered about boosting them by putting the brood in with them.

 

[Wilco]

Did you change the queen?

 

[Erichalfbee]

As Will. Did you change the queen?
I wouldn’t move the brood anywhere though it won’t be infected.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

No queen change yet but I'll be able to do that soon. It's always worth trying, isn't it.

 

[Swarm]

No queen change yet but I'll be able to do that soon. It's always worth trying, isn't it.

It's what will sort it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No queen change yet but I'll be able to do that soon. It's always worth trying, isn't it.

It’s the first thing to do.

 

[Lottie]

Chronic bee paralysis virus is horrible. I have two colonies that have had it for nearly a year. I I gave extra space, removed floors etc. One seemed to recover but has got it again. The other just won't give up, producing enough brood to cover the loss of all these dead bees that I keep sweeping away from the ground in front of the hive. Now I feel that it's not right to let these sick colonies go on any longer.

Can anything be saved? Is the brood likely to be infected (or at least contaminated) too? Is moving the brood to another colony a risk not worth taking? I've just got a swarm in a bait hive and wondered about boosting them by putting the brood in with them.

My bee inspector told me it was OK to move the brood.

 

[BrumB]

Chronic bee paralysis virus is horrible. I have two colonies that have had it for nearly a year. I I gave extra space, removed floors etc. One seemed to recover but has got it again. The other just won't give up, producing enough brood to cover the loss of all these dead bees that I keep sweeping away from the ground in front of the hive. Now I feel that it's not right to let these sick colonies go on any longer.

Can anything be saved? Is the brood likely to be infected (or at least contaminated) too? Is moving the brood to another colony a risk not worth taking? I've just got a swarm in a bait hive and wondered about boosting them by putting the brood in with them.

Have you got supers on the hives?
If not give them a single tray of apiguard. I tried this on 2 hives before the winter last year.
Both hives still have their original queens and brood combs. So far no sign of CBPV in either colony.
As well as varroa. The thymol is Also effective for tracheal mites...

 

[Fritillary]

How do you know changing the queen will resolve the problem, unless you know which kind of queen is likely to be more resistant?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Your best bet is to change the queen for an unrelated one.

 

[Wilco]

How do you know changing the queen will resolve the problem, unless you know which kind of queen is likely to be more resistant?

I'm guessing there's potentially a genetic component or maybe even some form of persistent infection in the queen. Would be interesting if people could report the lineage of any colonies which get CBPV. Perhaps another student project for me for next year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm guessing there's potentially a genetic component or maybe even some form of persistent infection in the queen. Would be interesting if people could report the lineage of any colonies which get CBPV. Perhaps another student project for me for next year.

Danish Buckfast have been implicated. But this is anecdotal.

 

[Ian123]

Danish Buckfast have been implicated. But this is anecdotal.

I’d take that with a pinch of salt, I’ve had 1 hive that’s come down with it 2 years on the trot. As soon as I get time there for the chop. They are surrounded by danish buckfast daughters and breeders who have not come down with any symptoms. The hive in question was a swarm that occupied a bait hive in the apiary, at a guess they look and act like local mongrels.

 

[madasafish]

Our allotments had 4 hives- local mongrels. All had terrible CBPV.
Over the past two years I have requeened three to a mix of Buckfast/Carnie/mongrel.
No more CBPV.

 

[Fritillary]

Have had personal experience of CBPV on only 3 separate occasions now. The 2 colonies which went down fast were prolific pale coloured bees. My colony of dark bees who caught it did survive. This year I have 3 with unrelated queens who have it but none has succumbed yet. These are all quite old queens, no problem until this year - ?

 

[maddydog]

Danish Buckfast have been implicated. But this is anecdotal.

By whom? The Cornish fellow famed for rhubarb leaves and danish pasty virus?

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i've had another colony with it in the garden...i think it has to be drifting of bees from the neighbouring hive that had it

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Danish Buckfast have been implicated. But this is anecdotal

Well, not proven, but a bit more than just anecdotal

By whom?

Survey and studies sponsored by the BFA - led by Prof. David Evans

 

[Wilco]

Well, not ptoven, but a bit more than just anecdotal

Survey and studies sponsored by the BFA - led by Prof. David Evans

So not much point in me getting a student to survey beekeepers about it next year?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So not much point in me getting a student to survey beekeepers about it next year?

I don't know - good to have more than one study on a subject, especially as the BFA one was questioning a specific demographic, so good to have a broader or different target group.