EFB Outbreak

[AdamD]

I have a spare smoker you can have Nigel!
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1413
Just a bit small!

[NigelP]

Thanks for the offer Adam
Amazon prime to the rescue, delivered a spare set of kit including a nice large smoker yesterday. Now have one set of tools solely for this apiary, until things clear up.
Bit worrying is the NBU current incident page doesn't seem to get updated in real time. I'm hearing of more cases of EFB over towards Pickering and some at Redcar, yet no reports of these on the "live" update pages.
A lot of experienced keepers are not taking their bees to the moors this year as worry about others bringing infected colonies. It can get quite crowded on some of the moors.
Didn't realise how lucky I am, as I have 2 heather sites both of which are as damn near isolated as you can get. i.e I'm the only beekeeper on these 2 moors.

[NigelP]

They have found another 5 cases. Inspector rang to want to inspect my hives next Tuesday. He was singularly unimpressed I had taken 4 hives to the moors......"we'll have to drag out there and visit them as well". I explained I had checked and could see no evidence of EFB and that to be on the safe side they were in an isolated spot with no other bees for miles and miles. "You don't know that"....Oh yes I do and explained who controlled access to this moor and how there were only 2 beekeepers allowed on, Me and Mr Swales, whose hives are 8 miles away on other side of moor.. Guess they have low opinions of beekeepers in general.

[MickBBKA]

5 cases where please Nigel ? I was just about to take some to Westerdale. Heather looks quite bad over our side of Commondale

[NigelP]

Sinnington, between Helmsley and Pickering and Church houses over Farndale way.

[AdamD]

Is it E or A they are looking for?

[NigelP]

EFB, around here. Just been and checked bees for disease, I can see nothing but healthy segmented larva and nothin unusual, mind I didn't do every frame as weather rainy and 15C and they were kicking off.....apart from 1st hive. I have never seen a double brood so honey clogged. There was 1 frame of brood and 21 frames of honey, mainly sealed. Now that one as caught me out. Now reduced to singe brood and 2 empty frames. More to remove next visit when I have some empty brood frames. I took 3 full supers off it only this week.

[NigelP]

Wow, at long last an e-mail letting me know there is EFB within 3km of my hives....should have been send weeks ago.
"At the end of the day" bit that gets me as EFB in Helmsley was diagnosed in July and it is only 2KM from me, less as the bee flies.

"This email has been sent out as part of a 'disease alert' service to beekeepers, implemented by the National Bee Unit (NBU). At the end of each day, beekeepers will be notified if they have an apiary that is within 3KM of a new disease outbreak.
Please be advised that today, the following disease has been confirmed within 3KM of one or more of your apiaries
Disease Diagnosed: European Foul Brood
Your Apiaries At Risk: Sproxton

Please be vigilant and examine your colonies carefully, advising us if you have concerns. For help in recognizing disease, you can view our Foul Brood leaflet, or for more information please visit BeeBase online at http://www.nationalbeeunit.com
Priority Inspection Visits of apiaries will be continued in areas where disease has been confirmed.

If you have moved colonies into, or out of these apiaries since your last visit from the Bee Inspector - please advise us at your earliest convenience.

Your help and co-operation is, as always, greatly appreciated in completing these visits as swiftly as possible."

[B1B2]

The email says “today” not last month.

[MickBBKA]

The NBU are hopeless. Why on earth do they continue with this pointless policy of only informing keepers in the local area ? It is far more logical to send out a general email to all members and stick a pin in the map on their web site showing the approximate location of an outbreak. That way everyone, such as people not registered, can see roughly where it is and take appropriate measures. But no, they want to be in power and control of information. DUH !