There are two serious brood diseases of honey bee in the UK that are currently notifiable and subject to control under The Bee Diseases and Pests Control Order 2006. These are American foulbrood (AFB) and European Foulbrood (EFB). The control of AFB and EFB disease is the responsibility of the National Bee Unit, which carries out a risk-based inspection programme on registered colonies across England and Wales. If you keep honey bee colonies in England or Wales, you may be contacted by the NBU to have your bees inspected.
If you ever have any concerns about the health of your colonies whether you are registered or not, you can contact your local Bee Inspector to request a visit; even if it is a false alarm, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
What happens if foulbrood is found in my apiary?
If foulbrood is suspected in an apiary, an authorised bee inspector (ABI) will visit and inspect the colonies. They will test any larvae suspected of having EFB or AFB using a lateral flow device (LFD) in the field. They will then send the LFD and any samples taken during the inspection to the laboratory for analysis. If the ABI suspects foulbrood, they will issue a ‘Standstill Notice’, which prohibits the removal of bees, bee products and equipment from the apiary. If foulbrood is confirmed by the laboratory analysis, the ABI will supervise the necessary disease control measures. Colonies infected with EFB will be destroyed or shook swarmed depending on the level of disease, the size of the colony and the time of year. All colonies with AFB are destroyed. The ABI will perform inspections of all colonies which have been associated with the diseased colony/colonies and will wish to see stored equipment.
A minimum of 6 weeks after treatment, the ABI will return to carry out a follow up inspection. If there are no further signs of disease, then the standstill notice is withdrawn. Normally, the ABI will visit again during the following season to be sure that the disease has been completely controlled. This procedure is summarised in the flow chart below.
A basic outline of the statutory process involved when a colony tests positive for EFB. Beekeeper actions are outlined in the light blue box.
What do I have to do?
If your colonies are confirmed to have foulbrood, you will be asked to make preparations for shook swarm or destruction of the affected colonies before the ABI returns to perform the necessary actions. You will be asked to assist the ABI on the day of the visit. This document details the actions that beekeepers will be required to undertake.
Further information
For further information about how to identify and prevent foulbrood disease, please read our advisory leaflet on foulbrood disease of honey bees, or visit our Diseases and Pests pages.
There are two exotic pest threats, the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) and Tropilaelaps spp. mites, which are notifiable in the UK and are subject to statutory surveillance and control measures. For more information about these pests, please visit our Exotic Pests page.