Hello All,
>warning to all beekeepers in the east Warwickshire area of England. >There
has been a very large case of AFB in the Nuneaton and >Coventry area. A
large beekeeper with many hives has multiple cases, >I have heard over a
100 colonies infected.
To my friends in the UK I still say the same as I did several years ago on
the IBL list. The methods you use to control AFb are the same as we used in
the U.S. years ago unsuccessfully. American beekeeping almost went under
before WW 2 with only a burn policy.
Drifting bees and robbing will spread quickly AFB from a AFB outbreak this
large in a small country with hives close to each other. A *outbreak* on
the scale noted did not happen overnight. Should have been detected months
ago.
For what its worth. I would burn all visible infected equipment and treat
all hives in the area with antibiotics.
Good luck with the problem and keep us informed on the methods used in the
U.K and if the problem is contained by the methods proposed by the powers
that be.
Sincerely,
Bob