BBKA Forum

Alfred wrote:
As long as he doesn't bring the disease with him...

It's an accusation they are highly sensitive to and the risk is taken seriously. If my local inspectors are anything to go by, their personal equipment biosecurity protocols are quite rigorous. Most beekeepers could learn a lot about reducing the risk of transmission between hives, let alone apiaries.

Totally agree with Patrick's comment. Can't fault the biosecurity measures taken by our local inspectors.

Absolutely...mine even sterilised his hive tool between each hive he inspected. I have a different hive tool for each apiary but they don't often get sterilised.

Yes that was an idea I picked up from ours. I now keep hive tools in an old MAQs rectangular bucket within a shallow strong solution of washing powder / washing soda and hive tools. Simply swap them round between hives. Don’t know if it really is long enough but means they are always clean and significantly reduces my nitrile gloves getting sticky. I also wash my suit every week during the season, though to be honest I should probably do it more.

He also wraps his smoker bellows in parcel tape so he can brush them with soda solution.

We do probably swap frames between hives too casually on occasions and I also don’t use glacial acetic acid to sterilise stored frames either (frankly, the stuff sounds too unpleasant). Also you can keep supers dedicated to individual hives and always keep them together. I should deliberately rotate brood combs more often probably.

So always more we could do..!

Well it was judgement day today and I gladly dodged the bullet..what a nice pleasant fellow he was and he was impressed at how calm the F1 Keld Queens where on the comb..I thought the inspection was for EFB but it was for AFB as it popped up near by several years ago so he has to check the area every three years.

Glad to hear it went well Steve.

Whereas EFB is pretty common down here, AFB is still a rarity. Let’s hope it stays that way.