Honeybee Disease in Europe (Jan 2013)

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Honeybee Disease in Europe
Report to Syngenta Ltd
January 2013

63 pages

By: Dr Helen Thompson and Selwyn Wilkins

This report aims to provide an overview on the diseases of honeybees and their distribution in Europe. There have been a number of reviews of honeybee pathology, therefore this review aims to highlight the key areas impacting on bee health in Europe. It will also not deal specifically with CCD as this is not widespread currently and is well reviewed.
The major pests/diseases are Varroa and viruses, acarine (Acarapis woodi), American foulbrood, European foulbrood, Nosema, together with unspecified multiple infections.
The 2009 Bee Mortality and Surveillance in Europe report to EFSA identified the paucity of bee disease data for Europe and recommended the establishment of the current EU Reference Laboratory for Honeybee Health which is co-ordinating its first pilot survey from September 2012. Until these data become available there is no comprehensive dataset available to understand the distribution of bee diseases in Europe.
AND SO ON

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UK
Carreck et al (2010)) reviewed data from the UK on the relationship between colony loss and the presence of Varroa and viruses 1993-1997. They demonstrated that where viruses were absent or below levels of detection (using antisera) colonies survived from one season to the next even where there were high levels of mite infestation (mite loads of 60-15000+). However in the presence viruses colonies only survived with mite loads below 2000. Colonies which had collapsed were shown to have had at least one virus present and generally had a mite infestation of at least 2000 mites (Figure 29).

Honeybee disease in Europe Page 43 of 63
Report to Syngenta Ltd
UK
Carreck et al (2010)) reviewed data from the UK on the relationship between colony loss and the
presence of Varroa and viruses 1993-1997. They demonstrated that where viruses were absent or
below levels of detection (using antisera) colonies survived from one season to the next even
where there were high levels of mite infestation (mite loads of 60-15000+). However in the
presence viruses colonies only survived with mite loads below 2000. Colonies which had collapsed
were shown to have had at least one virus present and generally had a mite infestation of at least
2000 mites (Figure 29).

More recently (2010-2011) a random apiary survey involving statistically randomised sampling from 19,000 colonies in England and Wales has been undertaken assessing the prevalence of EFB, AFB, viruses and Nosema sp. This has shown brood disease prevalence across England and Wales, was 1in 400 apiaries (0.25%) for American foul brood and 1 in 80 apiaries (1.25%) for European
foul brood. KBV and IAPV were rarely detected.

Nosema ceranae was found to be well distributed across England and Wales with more than 30% of the apiaries testing positive.

Of the 19,000 colonies a sigificant number were found to have high levels of Varroa and DWV and confirmed that DWV in association with Varroa is the biggest risk factor associated with colony mortality. More detailed results from the survey are currently being analysed for publication (NBU, Fera).

 

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Acarine disease from ‘collapsed colonies’ in Scotland 2010-2011

Fig 12, page 16


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