Today's Buzz!

[Keeper]

This week another NBU notification of more AFB and EFB nearby, it makes me nervous that it will make the jump to our colonies sooner or later.
I have it on good authority that following testing they are confirmed as Scottish strains of the diseases, and have not been brought in from abroad. That's good and bad news. Good, because folks by and large are complying with recommendations and advice, and no one is importing the diseases. And bad, because it means that the diseases may be lurking in someone's apiary, someone who is unaware of the tell tale signs, and who doesn't realise that they are maintaining the source of these outbreaks. It is costly to everyone else and can mean the destruction of colonies and hives, not to mention further spread.
Registering on BeeBase is an absolute must for any and everyone who keeps bees, even if it is just one colony. Registering is a simple process, there are no pre-requisits, you don't have to be a member of an association, and public anonymity is observed. In truth there is little to lose by registering, and much to gain, including access to disease recognition advice and guidance.
I'm assured we won't be inspected again this year, but it still makes me nervous!

[Keeper]

Too good to be true! We have been foul brood free in our area for the last couple of years, and we were hoping we had seen the last of it. But as I suspected when I read the NBU report on East Lothian it was soon also found further afield, and within 3k of one of our apiaries. A couple of days notice was all that was given before inspectors were onsite checking our colonies, all were clear thankfully.

Wasps and more wasps! All clear of foul brood but a couple of the colonies were being (have been) massacred by wasps. Never seen so many in the apiary, maybe down the unusual weather. Even the traps were overwhelmed! When they target a hive they are relentless. Two less colonies!

[Keeper]

Two colonies moved to the heather which is just starting to bloom on the north facing Pentland Hills. Ratchet strapped the hives securely onto low stands in a sheltered location behind stock fencing and facing the heather should ensure they have the best opportunity to forage on the heather. They didn't enjoy the bumpy journey to the hillside apiary and showed their displeasure when the hives were opened! We'll give them a few days to settle then add fresh honey supers.
Very concerning reports that AFB and EFB were discovered by SG Bee Inspectors in an area that has not seen outbreaks in recent years. How's that happening then?

"The following is a notice issued by the Scottish Government Bee Health Team for beekeepers across Scotland.

We are contacting you to inform you of an outbreak of both American Foulbrood (AFB) and European Foulbrood (EFB) in the Haddington area of East Lothian. This is the first outbreak of AFB and EFB detected in this area in recent years.

This outbreak concerns a number of hives and was discovered by Scottish Government bee inspectors during the delivery of their honey bee health inspection programme, with the diseases being confirmed by SASA on the 26th July 2023.

The beekeeper concerned has been informed of the official confirmation of both diseases. They are fully cooperating with the Scottish Government bee health inspectors. The colonies infected with AFB will be humanely euthanised as there is no permitted treatment for the disease in the UK.

Restrictions are in place in the apiaries. We are working with the beekeeper to identify the possible origin of this outbreak as well as any possible spread of disease.

Registered beekeepers within 3 km from the infected apiaries will also be alerted of this outbreak via BeeBase and our bee health inspectors will continue to deliver disease surveillance inspections in these areas.

22 AFB infected colonies have now been found in nine different apiaries, belonging to four different beekeepers in Scotland this year.

119 infected EFB colonies have been found in 71 different apiaries, belonging to 15 different beekeepers in Scotland this year.

Disease trends are publicly available on ‘BeeBase’ (APHA’s National Bee Unit website).

What does this mean?

This is an informative announcement to raise awareness of key points. There are no subsequent restrictions in the area as a result of this finding other than those in place for the infected apiary.

Next Steps

Please can beekeepers also be reminded of the need to acquaint themselves with the symptoms of foulbrood diseases and how to carry out a full foulbrood inspection. Foulbrood inspections should be carried out at least once a year, but we encourage more regular inspections in the areas where disease has been confirmed.

If there is any suspicion of AFB, or European Foulbrood (EFB), there is a legal requirement to notify the Scottish Government Bee Inspectorate.

Strict bio-security is the best prevention to avoid infection, especially for beekeepers who are located within the outbreak area. Swarms of unknown origins should be isolated in a quarantine apiary and inspected for signs of disease before they are brought into contact with other colonies.

Extreme care should be taken with old and second-hand equipment. Such equipment should be thoroughly cleansed and sterilised before re-utilising. In our experience, old infected equipment is the main source of spread of AFB.

In addition, we would like to emphasise the importance of registering and keeping the locations of apiaries up to date in BeeBase. This will allow the Scottish Government Bee Health Team to assess if there has been a risk of disease spreading to their bees. This is all the more important for those beekeepers who find themselves within the area where the outbreak has been confirmed.

Free registration to BeeBase is available at the National Bee Unit website. Registration on BeeBase also ensures that other beekeepers in an area are automatically alerted to disease outbreaks".

[Keeper]

Some colonies off the lay following a bumper spring. Will have to watch these in case they have gone queenless as recently reported by colleagues. Slow progress getting supers off, extracted, and wet supers back on to ensure supplies, being carefull to leave decent amount over the next month. Mixture of blossom and OSR honey, the latter is a pest if it gets in with the blossom, causes it to start setting and doesn't look good in the jar.
Big health checks under way and varroa status before applying treatments.
Two colonies being prepared for the heather, preparing supers with unwired foundation, the heather is not in bloom yet but not far away.

[Keeper]

Bees went very tetchy when the OSR flow stopped and some went broodless for a period before the queens started laying again. This seems to happen every time we have OSR around us, it's an unnatural amount of single species pollen and nectar which clearly upsets the bees normal behaviour patterns.
Slowly getting through the business of extracting the honey crop and putting the wet supers back to the bees. Very time consuming constantly moving frames, supers and honey buckets to and fro, heating, cooling, cleaning, more cleaning, dodging hungry bees that have found out where I'm doing the extracting!
Colonies are all queen right, no foul brood notifications (touch wood),time to do full health inspections and think about the summer varroa treatment.
Happy days!

[Keeper]

After an extended period of unusually hot sunny weather it has clouded over and is a cooler 19C thundery day, and the bees are tetchy!
Over the last few weeks colonies were loaded with supers and swarm prevention measures applied but even after splits were made some were just determined to swarm. Some we caught, some not, but losing a swarm is no big deal and is essentially what honeybees need to do in order to maintain their genetic health.
The phone has been ringing a lot with folks needing help with 'swarms', and the majority were not 'swarms' but were bumblebees, tree bumblebees mostly. There have also been calls about honeybee swarms that have ended up in places that are difficult if not impossible to get them out of - cavity walls, chimney stack walls, roof cavities. The cost of having those removed by an expert is eye watering.
We collected and trapped a few swarms and about 10 of these were passed on to other beekeepers, we have enough colonies already, probably too many if I'm honest!
The first crop of honey has been removed and extraction is underway. It's disappointing just how quickly OSR starts to set but it's easy enough to get it liquid again by heating the lot up although that means losing the wax comb that I prefer to put back to the bees wet for them to clean up and refill.
Mustn't forget the June gap!

[Keeper]

Weather has been poor this last fortnight keeping the bees activity to a short period each day. Was considering the need for feeding but today the sun is out, it's 16C, and they are working hard on the nearby OSR and the many flowering plants and trees around. No sign of swarming yet but drones are on the go and they will be sexually mature at 36 days so there is a need to be vigilant.

[Keeper]

Sun shining and 14C, the bees were enjoying the spring weather and abundance of pollen although the breeze putting a chill in the air. Reconfigured the hives for spring. Removed the all important duct tape that kept the draughts out. The honey supers placed under the brood box at the onset of winter have been mostly cleaned out, those that are suitable are used again. Hefted the brood boxes to assess the stores then a careful and quick look at the center brood frames, all was well with eggs and brood all stages, not looking for the queen yet. Cleaned up the floors and Varroa boards, replaced the queen excluder and put on three supers, some with drawn comb some with new. No emerged drones yet.

[Keeper]

11th April, temperature up into double figures and the sun's out. Stores nearly all used up and the bees are bringing in lots of pollen and building comb around the feeders, time to put the wet supers on.



Eager to get going in the first week of April, it only took 10 days for this colony have filled the spaces in the eke with comb, which is already mostly full of hatched larvae and a little honey. A sneaky peek in the brood chamber revealed 5 frames of brood at various stages. Time to remove the draft proofing tape and get the supers on! Good start, hope the weather keeps improving, nearby OSR starting to flower.

[Buzz]

2nd April - After a spell of really cold dull days the sun is fully out after a frosty start to the day. The temperature is still low at 7C but bees are as busy as any summer day and they are loaded to the hilt with yellow pollen,a glorious sight!

The supers will be going on soon!