BEE CALM AND CARRY ON

..But be aware of tell-tale signs

ROYAL HEALTH: Alex marks one hive's Queen Bee. Her 

health can determine the rest of the colony's resistance to disease

Laboratory tests carried out by Scottish government inspectors have confirmed the outbreak of AFB and steps have now been taken to have the hive destroyed.

JUST heard dreadful news there has been an outbreak in a Stranraer apiary of American Foulbrood disease (AFB).  The disease is capable of wiping out bee colonies and is so deadly it is notifiable with the local bee inspector. This is about one of the worst things that can happen to a bee keeper and my heart goes out to the owner of the infected hive. 

The last outbreak on this side of the Border was recorded in 2011 in Inverness-shire according to records kept by the Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA).

Honeybees can be targetted by a number of diseases, but two of the most serious affect the developing larvae and they are American Foul Brood (AFB) and European Foul Brood (EFB). Despite their names both occur in the UK and are notifiable under the Bee Diseases and Pests Control (Scotland) Order 2007, so if either of these diseases is suspected, the beekeeper must contact his/her nearest government Bee Inspector.

HEALTHY SIGNS from the outside,

our apiary

 Having just taken my Basic Bee Master's exam - one of the sections is about apiary diseases - I learned all about the consequences of them which can be broadly divided into two categores ... those affecting adult bees and those affecting the larval or brood stages.

While initial signs of illness can be difficult to detect it's heartening to know that bees are fastidious about in hive cleanliness which is just as well when you consider how crowded honeybee colony bees become in a warm and rather humid hive environment that is just perfect for the breeding and spread of disease.

HUBBY carries out a spot check

on the Warre hive 

 Obviously bee keepers must ensure a high degree of hygiene when working within and around the hive but it is also a tribute to their natural disease control mechanisms that bees suffer so little. While most parasites have a vested interest in not killing their hosts - don't bite the hand that feeds you - in contrast, pathogens such as AFB or chalk brood can only sporulate once they have killed the larvae they have infected. Meanwhile EFB thrives in a manner that is more like a parasite. Some viruses are not pathogenic at all except in the presence of a trigger factor - which is this day and age is quite often down to the dreaded varroa mite.I am now going to be checking our apiary daily - without physically looking inside the hives - just to see of there are any signs indicating anything out of the ordinary. 

Alex, our mentor, says it's always best to sit outside the hive and observe comings and goings while counting to 100 and I have to say it is an excellent tip. It's also a good way for bees to become familiar with your smell so, in theory, they should leave you alone. In the time it takes to count to 100, on a normal summer's day, there should be signs of intensive activity, nectar and pollen gathering and generally lots of coming and going by the forager bees and the hive cleaners. Bees are obsessive about cleanliness - constantly preening both themselves and other workers. They even have a special antenna-style cleaning tool on their front legs.

SHOW ME THE HONEY: A healthy bee frame from our apiary

Anything alien or untoward in the hive is removed with immediate effect which can also mean the regular expulsion of dead bodies. Bees are so hard-working they often carry on until they literally drop before having their lifeless little bodies unceremoniously removed from the hive.

Today while observing one of my hives I noticed several bee flights carrying the dead from the hive to avoid a decomposing corpse. Each bee seemed to really struggled in flight as it flew off clutching a dead worker and they made sure that the body was dumped some way from the hive. Honey and propolis also have their own natural antibacterial activity and the supersaturated sugars characteristic of honey inhibit bacterial or yeast growth. Cells are carefully cleaned between brood cycles and bees are very reluctant to use cells that don't meet their hygiene standards.

 This is what I like about the Warre hive - there's no recycling of honeycomb but I'm sure that throw away comment will ignite a debate from the die hards who despise top bar hives. Another comforting factor is that while the first sign of sickness may be hard for the beekeeper to detect, bees are on to it straight away and remove infected larvae immediately to prevent the spread of disease. This is why regular observation by the beekeeper is essential as the removal of diseased or damaged larvae gives rise to the so-called pepper pot brood pattern which is one indication all is not well within the colony.

 Alex is making a visit to the apiary soon and then we will check the inside of the hives with greater scrutiny but as I say, at present, outward signs of activity are good. Since going in to a hive can be a stressful experience for colonies, and additional stress can weaken bees' resistance, Alex is encouraging us not to use the smoker unless really necessary. It's a bit unnerving but apart from one off day (I was stung three times and hubby once) our amazing honey makers seem not only healthy but happy.