Small Hive Beetle Latest : 29 NEWS OF THE ONGOING SEARCH AND UK CONTINGENCY PLANS
Small Hive Beetle Latest
Bee Health Policy, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
s of 18 March 2015, no new cases of Aethina tumida (small hive beetle; SHB) have been detected in southern Italy since December 2014. Apiary inspections have restarted this spring as it becomes possible to inspect colonies without risk of damage. The last confi rmed infested apiary was found on 10 December 2014 in Cittanova, Calabria. To date, the outbreak remains confi ned to the three Italian provinces of Reggio Calabria and Vibo Valentia (Calabria region) and in Siracusa (Sicilia region). Further details and updates are available on the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) website
https://sites.anses. fr/en/minisite/abeilles/eurl-bee-health-home and Italian National Reference Laboratory website
http://www.izsvenezie.it/
A International Collaboration
Defra and experts from the National Bee Unit (NBU) continue their discussions with the Italian authorities and our European partners to ensure that the UK is best placed to stop the beetle from entering our shores. At the fi rst meeting of NBU offi cials and European experts from the Bee Health National Reference Laboratories (NRL), colleagues from the Italian NRL passed on details of their fi rst-hand experiences dealing with this pest. They shared best practice in identifying the beetle and this guidance has been passed to appropriate personnel in the EU National Reference Laboratory network. A member of the NBU recently visited the USA, gaining valuable practical experience in the management of apiaries in areas where the beetle is endemic. The NBU plans to use the information to develop education and training programmes for UK beekeepers. The NBU is involved in further international
May 2015 Vol 97 No 5 APHA Crown copyright
initiatives with the ANSES EURL, to develop surveillance protocols, and input into a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) project looking at managing SHB risks in Europe. The results will feed into and infl uence the UK’s contingency response should the beetle arrive in the UK.
Steps Taken in the UK The UK must remain vigilant against the
spread of SHB. Since September 2014, UK Bee Inspectors have remained active in: • tracing and checking past imports of bees from Italy
• increasing inspections of high-risk apiaries near ports and airports
• providing training and guidance materials on pest recognition to inspectors responsible for checking UK imports of plants and plant products
• working with beekeeping associations, government agencies and importer trade associations to raise awareness amongst beekeepers, plant produce importers and growers who use managed bees for pollination services.
Effective surveillance remains critically important if we are to identify infected apiaries quickly and eradicate the beetle should it arrive. A modelling project, led by scientists from the NBU and the Universities of Warwick and Swansea, to ‘stress test’ the existing sentinel apiary network is ongoing with results due in summer 2015.
Contingency Planning
A Contingency Plan for England and Wales and a Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) have been published for SHB. Elements of the Contingency Plan were tested in summer 2014 with the completion of two fi eld exercises in the south-eastern and western regions of England. Such exercises have
been carried out annually since 2005 on a four-year rolling regional cycle, ensuring that all NBU fi eld inspectors and support staff are trained in contingency planning and operational preparedness. Further exercises for England and Wales are planned for 2015. Similar plans exist for the authorities in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Should the small hive beetle arrive in the UK, these plans will be enacted to ensure the UK has the greatest possible chance of eradicating this damaging pest. ♠
BBKA Statement, 2 April
SHB was discussed at the Bee Health Advisory Forum on 30 March. It is clear the Government is not minded to contemplate a ban on the importation of honey bees, reiterating its position that the current exportation restrictions in place in Italy and the importation and inspection controls in place for the UK are appropriate. Mandated by the membership to demand a ban on imports from the affected area, the BBKA remains concerned that any importation of honey bees increases the possibility of the introduction of SHB into the country. The best way to ensure that this does not happen is to introduce a temporary restriction on such imports into the UK; this remaining in place until the outbreak in Italy is under control and the pest eradicated. It is inappropriate to focus activity on containing this new pest on arrival in the UK, as appears to be the preferred approach. More stringent measures are needed to prevent or, at the very least, delay the arrival of SHB, giving beekeepers and the authorities more time to prepare for any outbreak. The BBKA will continue to press the authorities to impose a ban.
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