BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Varroa reporting

  • Honeybee pests and diseases.
Honeybee pests and diseases.
 #10667  by MickBBKA
 26 Apr 2021, 01:34
So the 21st of April has been and gone and we are all now required to report varroa in our apiaries so England can be governed by the EU still even though we have left. Anyone any the wiser of this enforced subjugation to the EU by the NBU ??
 #10668  by Alfred
 26 Apr 2021, 06:12
Who hasnt got varroa?
(no ones going to believe you :lol: )
Surely easier for them if we report that instead?
 #10672  by Patrick
 26 Apr 2021, 10:07
MickBBKA wrote:. Anyone any the wiser of this enforced subjugation to the EU by the NBU ??
:D :D Only what I have read Mick. It’s pretty normal for international trade in livestock / plants etc to require trading partners to have a domestic reporting mechanism for certain diseases, so each party has a reasonable expectation of what they can expect when choosing to import what from whom.

Varroa was notifiable in the UK when I started. Presumably the relaxing of reporting varroa was agreed internally between member states but remained in place for non-members wishing to import into the EU? Hence why it reappeared once we became non-members and allows UK businesses to continue to trade into the EU as before?

As hobbyists we should probably be relieved for us it’s just a tick box on a website..
 #10675  by AdamD
 26 Apr 2021, 12:19
Would anyone actually send bees to the EU?
(I guess someone might, but only as part of a breeding programme).

There are some colonies (Scottish Isles) that don't have varroa.
It would be better if the tick-box was automatically ticked and then the beekeeper could un-tick if appropriate.
 #10677  by Patrick
 26 Apr 2021, 13:55
It seems it is to allow us to comply with the Animal Health Law proposed in 2013, which is an umbrella piece of legislation bringing together various rules around animal movements and disease controls, which came into force this month.

So probably mainly about ensuring other livestock exports are unaffected.
 #10687  by MickBBKA
 27 Apr 2021, 19:39
Surely it would be better to get bee exporters to report, as a none exporter I/we should be allowed to opt out of reporting.
 #10697  by NigelP
 28 Apr 2021, 08:36
I don't know of any UK company that exports UK bees. "No one wants us....we don't care".
There may be a reason for this ;)
 #10732  by Alfred
 01 May 2021, 06:29
Apparently...
If you are registered on bee base you are automatically declared as varroa positive with the option of 'unticking the box' if for some strange reason you beg to differ.
 #10736  by Patrick
 01 May 2021, 13:34
[quote="AdamD"
It would be better if the tick-box was automatically ticked and then the beekeeper could un-tick if appropriate.[/quote]

My bee base apiary record now automatically shows a “Yes” against varroa.

Adam, you are obviously an online “Influencer”. Do you also do fashion recommendations? 8-)
 #10740  by MickBBKA
 02 May 2021, 23:45
So if bee base shows 'yes' then surely that is fraud if you have made no entry.

I have been trying to access my BB account and once again my details don't match and I can't gain entry to report anything. This complete amateur organisation needs reorganising from the ground up. Its typical dads army approach is a joke all round.

I can't access it with my details so I can't report anything, not my fault. Bunch of idiots.