Big losses reported in NZ bees - implications for imports.

[Jon]

An Auckland beekeeper who has set up 300 hives around the region says his insects have started dying at an alarming rate.

He believes a phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder (CCD), which has wiped out bees and reduced food crops around the world, may have reached New Zealand.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10832939

Usual caveats apply about how the press like to hype up a story about bees dying.

What worries me is that queens (and some packages as well) are still being imported from NZ into the UK.
I don't know if any have been imported to Ireland but they are certainly all over Scotland and England as the Coop project caused controversy last year when it decided to use imported NZ Carniolans on some of its farm sites in England.
A big deal is made of the stringent health checks on imports - but if we are dealing with an unknown pathogen,virus or whatever (and noone yet knows what causes CCD) how can veterinary health checks screen for that?

We should have been able to keep the UK and Ireland varroa free but importing bees from elsewhere brought that curse to our beekeeping.

Surely time to tighten up on imports or stop them altogether.
The problem is that once a new pathogen arrives you can't turn back the clock with the benefit of hindsight.

[gavin]

We should have been able to keep the UK and Ireland varroa free but importing bees from elsewhere brought that curse to our beekeeping.


I'm with you in general on the risks of importing. Not just the risks of importing new disease, but any industry in the UK that needs to regularly import livestock because it can't keep enough of its own stock alive or propagate it to keep the business going just doesn't deserve to be taken seriously ....

... however this NZ story smacks of the Hackenberg factor. Someone shouting wolf who should have been paying better attention to the health of his stock.

The National Beekeepers Association of NZ are saying that they doubt that NZ is seeing CCD.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1209/S00316/very-unlikely-nz-bees-have-ccd.htm

Mr Paul was commenting on a NZ Herald article that indicated CCD may be occurring in NZ.
“It’s very unlikely,” he said.

“We’re probably seeing the effects of the increasing resistance to the treatments that are used to control the varroa mite and while that’s not unexpected, it is still a concern.”

Have a look at the NZ beekeepers forum where a fair degree of scepticism is being expressed on the CCD claim. The beekeeper involved seems to use dowsing to locate hive positions (oh dear .... ) and puts 'blockers' in his hives to counteract 3g and other telecommunications signals. It is the usual Piss Poor Beekeeper wanting to blame something other than himself for the losses of his own bees and those he's sold to hapless beginners.

http://www.nzbees.net/forum/threads/wipeout-threat-for-nz-bees-beekeeper-fears-devastating-colony-collapse-disorder-may-have-arrived.1448

Not that this stops some of the nutters on the BKF blaming kiwifruit pesticides ....

[gavin]

It was all sorted out back in September. The guy making the noise is interviewed on here.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=net2hlhWRBs

[prakel]

Not that this stops some of the nutters on the BKF blaming kiwifruit pesticides ....

Doubt it'll stop some of 'em on here either....

[Jon]

The forum was an interesting read.
Seems to be more like a combination of PPB and resistant varroa mite than CCD.

It is amazing the number of experienced beekeepers who underestimate the devastating effect of a combination of varroa and its viruses.

[Pete L]

Surely time to tighten up on imports or stop them altogether.
The problem is that once a new pathogen arrives you can't turn back the clock with the benefit of hindsight.

I agree that the imports need to be tightened up, not stopped altogether, my idea would be to only allow registered Queen breeders (this would need to be set up) to import up to say ten queens per season and no more, these could be properly checked out, and would be only the very expensive ones in general, not the mass imports as is the case now. I would like this to be imports from within Europe only, and no imports of packages, nucs, full hives, at all, from anywhere.





It is amazing the number of experienced beekeepers who underestimate the devastating effect of a combination of varroa and its viruses.

Looking at the pictures of brood combs in that video it looks like varroa damage to me, i suspect they have been caught out by mites resistant to treatment in NZ in many cases, just like we were in this country back in 2002, when many lost their colonies through being complacent, Then of course there is this guy ..... did he even bother?

[Jon]

I agree that the imports need to be tightened up, not stopped altogether, my idea would be to only allow registered Queen breeders (this would need to be set up) to import up to say ten queens per season and no more, these could be properly checked out, and would be only the very expensive ones in general, not the mass imports as is the case now. I would like this to be imports from within Europe only, and no imports of packages, nucs, full hives, at all, from anywhere.
Hi pete.
That would certainly be a big step forward in terms of minimising risk, although to be honest, I don't know how we can be lacking in sufficient genetic material in the UK at this point. Surely with the number of colonies you manage you would have no problem at all selecting several good breeder queens to graft from.

With the hobby beekeepers it seems like an easier option to buy a queen rather than get involved with a local breeding group for some reason.
The commercial beekeepers must find it cheaper or maybe just more reliable to use imported queens or packages rather than breeding their own.

Trouble is, beekeeping does not exist in a vacuum and one rogue beekeeper could wreck the hobby for the amateurs and make commercial beekeeping non viable.
Look how many commercial beekeepers have given up in the US.
Varroa first arrived in Ireland in the back end of nowhere near the Leitrim Sligo Border.

[Pete L]

On the whole i do select my own breeder queens, and run separate lines, only imported two breeder queens in 2012, both from within Europe. One of the largest honey farms which is not far from me never import, or indeed buy in any queens at all, they manage just fine...even in a bad season like 2012. Was chatting to a well known AMM breeder on a island up north,even he was thinking about importing some breeder queens, either from Denmark or Tasmania (the latter would be out with my idea) so i believe strict controls as i mentioned earlier would be the way to go. I know we have better weather for mating down south generally, and with a little effort and dedication northern breeders could do the queen rearing and mating down south...there are even islands available if needed, nothing really worth doing was ever easy, but it can be done thats for sure. Even with the bad weather during 2012 i still have a good surplus of well mated queens over wintering....and over wintering queens for use in early spring, if needed, is a much better way forward in my view than importing.

[Jon]

Was chatting to a well known AMM breeder on a island up north,even he was thinking about importing some breeder queens, either from Denmark or Tasmania (the latter would be out with my idea)

He should talk to the Irish if he needs a queen or two!
There are a lot of breeders working with AMM including at least one commercial guy based near Waterford.

[gavin]

Can't think why he'd want to go to Denmark. Yes, the Irish solution - or more Amm from the Scottish mainland seems better. If it is the island I'm thinking of, Varroa-free would be required unless he's going to check his queens very carefully. But if I was him I'd stick to Scottish stock.

[Jon]

Invoking the spirit of Uncle Eric, it is one of the few situations where inbreeding/loss of sex alleles could actually become a problem as the population is completely closed.

[Pete L]

Can't think why he'd want to go to Denmark. Yes, the Irish solution - or more Amm from the Scottish mainland seems better.

Cannot really say for sure Gavin, he did mention Ireland, and from what i gather was not over keen on that idea, Scottish mainland was not mentioned. They do have three island mating stations in Denmark for AMM, perhaps he was more impressed by them or the ones from Tasmania than anything else he had found.

[Beefever]

If people must import, has any body tried to trade in drone semen? I believe semen is viable for up to two weeks at room temp. It could also be used for varroa free areas.

[Easy beesy]

I agree that the imports need to be tightened up, not stopped altogether, my idea would be to only allow registered Queen breeders (this would need to be set up) to import up to say ten queens per season and no more, these could be properly checked out, and would be only the very expensive ones in general, not the mass imports as is the case now. I would like this to be imports from within Europe only, and no imports of packages, nucs, full hives, at all, from anywhere.
?

Im pretty sure that UK legislation states that any workers imported with queens are removed and sent to NBU for testing. So no packages, nucs or full hives are allowed in anyway.

[Easy beesy]

See below
17.These controls are aimed at reducing the risk of the introduction and spread of exotic bee pests, in particular the small hive beetle and tropilaelaps mites (which are notifiable). When you receive a consignment of imported queen honey bees you must:
(i) Transfer the queens to new (queen) cages before they are introduced to any local colonies.
(ii) Send the (queen) cages, attendant worker bees and other material that accompanied the queen bees from their country of origin to the NBU within 5 days of receipt for examination for the presence of the small hive beetle and tropilaelaps mites.
18. Bee packages from New Zealand are subject to a % check (depending on the quantity imported) at the destination apiary.
19. You must destroy container in which any colony of imported bumble bees was transported and all material that accompanied the bees either during or immediately at the end of the lifespan of the imported colony.

[Easy beesy]

Advice for/from ULster assoc. http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=11&ved=0CA8QFjAAOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ubka.org%2FUBKA%2520pdfs%2F08 0904%2520Import%2520Policy%5B1%5D.pdf&ei=SynxUL-WHMqO0AXVq4DoAw&usg=AFQjCNFaSq_Igd8G4iPxIBVuU9M6s0xttA&sig2=jnQ-P6vzUS2l8S3Q05jntw

[Jon]

That article above from 2008 is a wee bit out of date as imports from Hawaii are now banned and we also have pyrethroid resistant mites in Northern Ireland although the other points it makes are as valid as ever.


UBKA expresses its total condemnation of the attempted illegal importation of ten queen bees from Georgia, USA, earlier this year. It compliments the United Kingdom Customs Authority on its diligence in intercepting the package of bees.

This happened about 5 or 6 years ago and was a precursor to the recommendations above. There was no prosecution as the beekeeper concerned claimed that the queens were posted to him without his knowledge.

Imagine that. 10 queens arriving from the country where CCD has decimated the bee population and where noone has yet clearly determined its causes other than noting that it is likely to be multifactorial. Thanks have to go to the customs guys involved with biosecurity.

http://www.irishbeekeeping.ie/articles/importniart.html

[prakel]

Slightly off topic but I think relevant in a way; I posted a link on the Beekeeping and Environment forum on the 07/01 regarding the new rules covering the licensing of commercial bumblebee production/import. The quote below (my highlight) is taken from that link.


■Producers of commercial non-native bumblebees for the horticulture trade will be required to follow an improved disease screening protocol. This will be to a higher specification than that required by the EU for routine honeybee imports - which only requires inspection of bees for a number of notifiable bee diseases and parasites. The revised screening protocol will require more sensitive laboratory analysis to detect a greater range of bee diseases and pathogens. Bumble bees found to be infected by disease or parasites will not be permitted for release in the UK.

[Pete L]

Im pretty sure that UK legislation states that any workers imported with queens are removed and sent to NBU for testing. So no packages, nucs or full hives are allowed in anyway.

Plenty of package bees get imported into this country, too many.

[Easy beesy]

How? Illegally? Why not shop the guilty?

[Pete L]

No, perfectly legal, in fact one guy importing them was a bee inspector.


Package Bees - sourced from the Czech Republic. A package of approximately 10,500 - 11,000 bees and a caged, mated 2010 Carniolan Queen. Supplied in a correx plastic box (which can be adapted as a 'nuc' box to take 5 British National Standard Brood Frames.)

[prakel]

Im pretty sure that UK legislation states that any workers imported with queens are removed and sent to NBU for testing. So no packages, nucs or full hives are allowed in anyway.

This may be where the confusion is coming from (my highlight).

https://www.gov.uk/bee-health


Post-import controls

When you receive a consignment of imported queen honeybees from one of the eligible countries outside the EU, you must:

•transfer the queens to new queen cages before introducing them to local colonies

•send the NBU the queen cages, attendant worker bees and other material that came with the queen bees from their country of origin, within five days of receiving them

[Easy beesy]

Are they certified disease-free? How do we stop it?

[Easy beesy]

[QUOTE=Easy beesy;15319]Are they certified disease-free? What checks are done? Is it only bee inspectors allowed? How do we stop it?

Sorry - little phone buttons, clumsy thumbs!

[Pete L]

Are they certified disease-free? How do we stop it?

Apparently yes, and with health certificates, which is more than you get in this country.

From a post by ITLD on BKF, just to give you a clue as to numbers imported.

The 300 packages are in one year, and being divided in two once here with an extra queen (hence the 600 figure), but represent only a small fraction of the supplies coming in. Consignments of similar and larger size are arriving as well, mostly going to beekeepers in southern and eastern England. Numbers communicated to me by two shippers alone runs to 3124 units. ( 6 loads of 400, one airline pallet of 704 ) I know SOME of the destinations. There are many shippers.

[Jon]

Even with a health certificate there is a massive risk if those figures are accurate.
All it takes is one package where a pathogen or mite is overlooked and we will have another bee disease to deal with.
The risks involved when importing packages of bees must be far greater than those associated with importing just queens - and I don't see the need for that either. Maybe one or two queens to specialist breeders like Pete would be a relatively low risk but certainly not thousands distributed the length and breadth of the country to every hobby beekeeper who happens to fancy trying a new queen.
The varroa mites in Ireland did not swim over the Irish sea and we have them here due to imported bee colonies.

[mbc]

I totally agree Jon, health certificates are only as good as the rigorousness of the inspections at the other end and checks at our border inspection points are laughably unprofessional, there just arent any qualified staff when it comes to something like bees. The only realistic chance of keeping anything out is having a ban on imports or much tighter border control.

[Adam]

I think that NZ is probably one of the better countries with regard to biosecurity and such-like and I would feel more confident of their inspection regime than in some other countries.....

But mistakes do happen.



The fact that the beekeeper who lost 300 colonies to varroa (PMS) and AFB rather than "CCD" shows how easy some can be fooled.