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The bacterial diseases, which are both notifiable, have been found in hives in Inverness-shire and Perthshire. SAC’s bee man Graeme wants to alert hive owners to the signs of foulbrood and other diseases so they are ready next spring.

The outbreaks were discovered following a report of a foulbrood outbreak in England which was thought to have trade connections with Scotland.  Investigations by Scottish Government Bee Inspectors followed and EFB was confirmed in Perthshire on 29 June 2009.  During these ongoing inspections, outbreaks of AFB have also been discovered in Perthshire and Inverness-shire.

As soon as EFB and/or AFB is suspected the beekeeper becomes subject to The Bee Diseases and Pests Control (Scotland) Order 2007 and removal of hives, bees, combs, appliances etc. from the premises is prohibited. If the Bee Inspector and the beekeeper agree that AFB is present, contact colonies should also be inspected. Where EFB is found, the beekeeper should consider the options for treatment and not move any hives.

Graeme Sharpe advises beekeepers to inspect their hives and treat anything out of the ordinary with suspicion. Advice is available from the local bee inspector or organisations like SAC.  “Once the winter comes, the queens will stop rearing young, so the infection will slow down. I want beekeepers to learn what to look for so that in the in the spring, when things start to warm up, they know what to do,” said Graeme.

American foulbrood is caused by bacteria which enter the larvae and kill it by completely consuming the body tissues. It is spread initially by highly resistant, very long-lived spores.  AFB is most often spread by the beekeeper moving frames, honey or brood from an infected colony to an uninfected one.  However, robbing by adult bees of dead or dying infected colonies can also spread disease.  All infected colonies are compulsorily destroyed by burning, then the hives and any appliances are sterilised by scorching with a blowlamp.

European foulbrood is different from AFB as the bacterium does not appear to harm the larva directly, but starves it to death through competition for food.  If there is plenty the larva and bacteria will survive, but in hard times the bacteria dominates. The disease has less distinct disease signs than AFB and can resemble other bee diseases, for example, the syndrome linked with Varroa mites. Treatment can involve antibiotics or destruction. 

Details of the events, which will be run through the Scottish Government VAS Programme, Advisory Activity AA119 Bee Health, will be available soon. They will be published on the SAC website, in the beekeeping publications and local newspapers.

Further information can be obtained from Graeme Sharpe, SAC Bee Advisory Officer, Ayr Disease Surveillance Centre, telephone 01292 520318.