This is like the conversation I had a couple of years ago with a conventional
beekeeper who has visited my apiary and knows my style of low intervention
beekeeping. She met me in the street and asked about my winter losses. I said
I had lost no colonies (out of around 20). "Oh", she said, "I’ve lost a lot to
varroa". She explained that this was despite opening them weekly during the
season to do a thorough check and treating regularly with oxalic acid. She has
local mongrel bees just like I do, nothing fancy like Buckfasts, so I asked why
she didn’t try my approach of leaving the bees in peace to see what happened.
Her reply: "Oh, but then I wouldn’t know if they were healthy".
Gareth
On 5 Jul 2021, at 19:16, Michael King <kingmichael845@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I thought it might be interesting to share the message (below) which was sent
recently to all members of my local BBKA branch.
The email is alerting members to an outbreak of European Foul Brood at our
branch's own training apiary - a substantial operation containing many
colonies.
This alert follows a similar recent EFB outbreak at the BBKA headquarters at
Stoneleigh, which is also in our local area.
Despite these outbreaks both occurring in two of the most intensively
managed, conventional apiaries in the UK, we were nevertheless advised to be
vigilant because of the risk arising from "feral and neglected colonies".
Go figure...
Mick
"I am sorry to have to share the news that we have had a case of European
Foulbrood (EFB) in the Branch Apiary in the last week. The Apiary Team acted
swiftly and placed a voluntary standstill on the apiary. As soon as the case
was confirmed by the Bee Inspector two colonies were destroyed, and all the
other colonies will be shook swarmed under her supervision. The BDI insurance
we all have as members will cover the cost of replacing the equipment and all
the frames for shook swarms.
We want to bring this to everyone’s attention because now is a very good time
to do a full disease inspection, shaking the bees of each comb and inspecting
every cell to check the larvae look normal and there are no scales. The
Apiary Team member who spotted the EFB identified a very few affected cells
and, in doing so, prevented more widespread losses. We are all vulnerable
this year because we cannot know what feral/neglected colonies may be around
us, or prevent those bees entering our hives. We must be vigilant in terms of
inspections and hygiene."
