EFB and culling

[Skinfaxi]

Hello
Just a question about culling a colony with euro foul brood.
I have contacted SBI but dont want to wait to long before this spreads.
I had about 6 cells with foul brood.
I do not want to mess with shaking bees
Around my other colonies this could spead spores etc outside the hive.
I have heard peaple mention culling with a sulphar candle. I hope it will kill the colonie as humanely and cleanly as possible. also kill some of the spores.
Is this a good way to go.

 

[Finman]

Hello
Just a question about culling a colony with euro foul brood.
I have contacted SBI but dont want to wait to long before this spreads.
I had about 6 cells with foul brood.
I do not want to mess with shaking bees
Around my other colonies this could spead spores etc outside the hive.
I have heard peaple mention culling with a sulphar candle. I hope it will kill the colonie as humanely and cleanly as possible. also kill some of the spores.
Is this a good way to go.

Change the queen and you get ridd of euro foulbrood. Get another race.

 

[Ian123]

Hello
Just a question about culling a colony with euro foul brood.
I have contacted SBI but dont want to wait to long before this spreads.
I had about 6 cells with foul brood.
I do not want to mess with shaking bees
Around my other colonies this could spead spores etc outside the hive.
I have heard peaple mention culling with a sulphar candle. I hope it will kill the colonie as humanely and cleanly as possible. also kill some of the spores.
Is this a good way to go.

Destruction must be done with the BI if you have a confirmed case!!!… in the good old days you’d dig a pit block entrance and a pint of petrol in through feed hole rag over the hole and dead in seconds….On a sheet dismantle hive, frames went into pit followed by scorching boxes. Sheet any bits into the pit followed by fire and burial. Petrol really is the fastest method for most, block all vents/floors.

 

[ericbeaumont]

also kill some of the spores

It won't.

Quickest death is to seal the hive and pour in a couple of litres of petrol through the feedhole in the evening. If you have poly boxes, swap the colony into wood or the petrol will melt the poly. Bag the poly boxes for cleaning later as per the regs., with dilute bleach.

Easiest way to spread EFB is via the beekeeper: wash gloves and tools in soda between hives; take off your suit, boots and gloves inside out, bag & seal in bin liners and machine wash clothes in soda at 60C, boots (soles as well) in the bath with soda.

Carry a bleach or anti-bac spray or wipes and clean your vehicle, including the controls, door handles and loading area.

Above all, follow the SBI instructions and see where that takes you. Spread of spores may be much further than your colonies, which is why beekeepers within 3km registered on BeeBase receive an automatic warning email to check brood. In the case of EFB, that would be advanced open brood.

 

[Skinfaxi]

Thank you for all your replies.

 

[Skinfaxi]

Change the queen and you get ridd of euro foulbrood. Get another race.

Hello Finman
In my limited experience i have noticed. I have a bad line of queens that i think all need to be replaced. The other sister of this queen with foul brood had sac brood a few weeks ago.i did replace her, now sac brood gone. Another colonie from this line is quite agro and stingy.
I have a few fresh queens i grafted from Peter Little aka Hive maker queen i have who is brilliant. I hope they turn out more resiliant.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just a question about culling a colony with euro foul brood.
I have contacted SBI but dont want to wait to long before this spreads.
I had about 6 cells with foul brood.

It's a reprtable disease, you now have to wait for the SBI to check it over

I do not want to mess with shaking bees

It's your choice, regardless of what the SBI thinks, if you want to destroy, they will help you do it. And will be happy you've chosen destruction.
Betther than shaking out every colony in the apiary - with the confusion and disease spread risk that it poses.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Change the queen and you get ridd of euro foulbrood. Get another race.

Not in the UK - as you have been told before, it is a reportable disease and if the inspector says you have to destroy the colony, you have to follow the instructions.

 

[Finman]

The disease in in surrounding hives. It returns if you keep the old genepool. Burning hives does not help.

When you have hivemaker's bees , and you see that they are healthy, you understand that sensitivity is in genes/ bee stock.

Last I found EFB ln my hives 50 years ago . Bees were Black bee × Caucasian bee crossings

 

[Beesnaturally]

" It's your choice, regardless of what the SBI thinks, if you want to destroy, they will help you do it. "

[...] if the inspector says you have to destroy the colony, you have to follow the instructions.

So which is it?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So which is it?

well read it man, not playing your silly little mind games.
If the SBI gives you the option to shook swarm instead of cull - it's your choice to disregard the advice and opt for destruction
Obviously if they hand you a destruction order, you have to oblige

 

[Beesnaturally]

well read it man, not playing your silly little mind games.
If the SBI gives you the option to shook swarm instead of cull - it's your choice to disregard the advice and opt for destruction
Obviously if they hand you a destruction order, you have to oblige

It wasn't clear . What you wrote was contradictory and confusing. Your first post seemed to indicate that you always had a choice. That is why I sought clarification.

 

[Skinfaxi]

Hello
I have emailed the regional and sbi and am waiting for a date. In our village we do have some leave alone bee peaple. And dead out hives sitting the the gardens. Also a few wild colonies. I had a few wild swarms hanging in my garden a few weeks ago.

 

[Prof]

Thank you for all your replies.

Just for information, the bacterium that cause EFB does not produce spores. It is the bacterium that causes AFB that produce spores. The bacterium that cause EFB can be spread by contaminated clothes, tools and bees etc. though.

 

[Skinfaxi]

Thank you Prof. That is a relief. Anyway my bee fear has become reality. Now to learn more and sort it out. Do i need to burn all my frames or just broodframes. Can i clean or sterilise the new foundation i recently added and honey frames and use again or better not?

 

[Jules59]

When I had EFB in a colony 3 years ago - it was too late in the season to consider a shook swarm. With advice from the SBI the colony was sealed and culled with petrol. Its all over in a few minutes but was quite emotional. Next day a pit was dug and all the frames (brood and super) were burnt plus dead bees in presence of the SBI. The boxes were well scorched at the same time.
A notice was served banning the movement of bees and bee equipment from my apiary until it was deemed EFB clear by the SBI.
I got some of the cost back from the BDI insurance.

 

[Wilco]

Just for information, the bacterium that cause EFB does not produce spores. It is the bacterium that causes AFB that produce spores. The bacterium that cause EFB can be spread by contaminated clothes, tools and bees etc. though.

Thank you, for some reason I'd started thinking both foulbroods were spore formers. I appreciate the correction.

 

[Hachi]

Thank you Prof. That is a relief. Anyway my bee fear has become reality. Now to learn more and sort it out. Do i need to burn all my frames or just broodframes. Can i clean or sterilise the new foundation i recently added and honey frames and use again or better not?

probably best you write down all your Q's and heed the SBI advice.

 

[Skinfaxi]

Hello
Spoke to inspector yesterday and they diagnosed really bad sac brood. So I will requeen her asap.
I must say i was quite worried. Bloody bees. Thanks for your replies.

 

[Skinfaxi]

When I had EFB in a colony 3 years ago - it was too late in the season to consider a shook swarm. With advice from the SBI the colony was sealed and culled with petrol. Its all over in a few minutes but was quite emotional. Next day a pit was dug and all the frames (brood and super) were burnt plus dead bees in presence of the SBI. The boxes were well scorched at the same time.
A notice was served banning the movement of bees and bee equipment from my apiary until it was deemed EFB clear by the SBI.
I got some of the cost back from the BDI insurance.

I used to be part of bbka but personally i did not feel it was worth my while. So at least i see one benefit and thats the insurance for foul brood. Having all of a sudden find hundreds pounds and time and effort to make new frames in a hurry adda to the stress of culling or burning frames.
I may rethink the insurance thing
Does the Bee Farmers group have insurance if you intend to run my few collonies as part of my land based business.
Jules59 they say in Africa who feels it knows it. I hope this is your last experience.
Good day