AFB and other diseases common on imported Bumble Bees

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M

match

House Bee
Joined
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Location
SE Scotland
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Just read this article on the BBC news today about the high rate of disease and parasites found on imported bumble bee colonies used for pollination.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23347867

Most worrying is the quote:

The imported bumblebee colonies carried a range of parasites including the three main bumblebee parasites (Crithidia bombi, Nosema bombi and Apicystis bombi), three honeybee parasites (Nosema apis, Ascosphaera apis and Paenibacillus larvae), and two parasites that infect both bumblebees and honeybees (Nosema ceranae and deformed wing virus).
Click to expand...

Given the current controls on honey bee importation, and the devastating effect of AFB, it's laughable that there seem to be no equivalent regulation on bumble bee importation!

Now wondering which particular bit of the government/BBKA to kick to get something done about this!
 
Defra !
Write to your MP
and MEP ( as Defra sponge up the entire EU allowance for bee stuff ???)

and Prof Hugh's research also uncovered Deformed Wing Virus in bumbles that is vectored into your honeybees by varroa....
what a pickle we are in allowing all these alien species in!

Soapbox... Tin Hat... Now the facts are coming to the fore!!!
 
Worry more about imported honey ... that appears the cause of many outbreaks of AFB.
 
It is worrying that there is little control on this. Although I do not know the ins and outs of it all it should be treated in the same way as honey bee importation.
 
I agree, needs stricter controls in place, and so does the movement of people coming into the country and returning from holidays ect, some kind of testing for alien diseases and perhaps a six month isolation quarantine in a secure facility.
 
Hivemaker. said:
...so does the movement of people coming into the country and returning from holidays ect, some kind of testing for alien diseases and perhaps a six month isolation quarantine in a secure facility.
Click to expand...

Yep ... I'd go one further - if you leave you can't come back ! Solves the population problem !
 
Humour aside, it is utterly absurd that there should be disease controls and inspections on imported honeybees while there are NO controls OR inspections of imported bumbles (that happen to be of species judged native to here).
And that these uninspected imports can be legally released to spread all their diseases.



Excellent work (by academics) to have spotted the problem and demonstrated the threat.

And for once the BBKA weren't on holiday or out to lunch, and issued a sensible statement promptly ...
 
We should perhaps ban imported honey because of the risks of ill dis guarded rubbish. Often jars are left out unwashed in recycling boxes.
 
Hivemaker. said:
I agree, needs stricter controls in place, and so does the movement of people coming into the country and returning from holidays ect, some kind of testing for alien diseases and perhaps a six month isolation quarantine in a secure facility.
Click to expand...

What is your prison cost person/day?.

We have such cost that not even 5 star hotel is not so much.
200 euros/day per prisoner and 62 000 euros/year.
 
.
What you can do first, stuck the Channele Tunnel, that bumbles cannot arrive via it.
 
Twas once upon a time that ships returning from foreign lands had to fly a plague pennant... a large yellow flag.
and quarantine is after all a term derived from those far off days ..................... A period of 40 days
We are an Island Nation and should be able to protect our shores from all foreign invaders!
 
Last edited:
icanhopit said:
We are an Island Nation and should be able to protect our shores from all foreign invaders!
Click to expand...

I wonder who wants your shores?
Do they arrive via air? Heathrow is the most busy airport in the world. There are Gatwick and City Aiport too.

Airports of London

london.gif

.
 
Last edited:
Finman said:
I wonder who wants your shores?
Do they arrive via air? Heathrow is the most busy airport in the world. There are Gatwick and City Aiport too.

Airports of London

london.gif

.
Click to expand...

That IS an old map!... and all aircraft arriving at UK Airports are searched and fumigated.... all goods imported go through UK Border control / customs.

The rules just need changing!
 
icanhopit said:
Twas once upon a time that ships returning from foreign lands had to fly a plague pennant... a large yellow flag.
and quarantine is after all a term derived from those far off days ..................... A period of 40 days
We are an Island Nation and should be able to protect our shores from all foreign invaders!
Click to expand...

Does this apply to the Forum?

Protecting us from invading beeks from Northern Europe who threaten to destroy our native bumbling beekeeping with foreign ideas based on research?

(Wouldn't it be hilarious if Finman's replies to posts, were put into quarantine for 40 days? Trying to work out to what they referred!)

Dusty
 
Can't the forum start a petition and circulate it to all forum members in the form of an email letter to the Prime minister. I think there is a ruling that if they get so many letters or emails of complaint they are duty bound to look into the issue, I think the figure is something like 250,000. I am sure that if the forum sent an email out with a link to the Downing St web site between us all we know enough people to reach that figure. We have to try and stop this now. This is like the ash tree issue all over again.
Admin, can you help
Andy
 
sandysman said:
Can't the forum start a petition and circulate it to all forum members in the form of an email letter to the Prime minister.

Admin, can you help
Andy
Click to expand...

I rather think that Admin has his hands full at the minute.

And if not, he deserves a break after the phenomenal number of hours he's put into sorting out the server problem.

He's probably got an 'Admin indoors' who's demanding he gets off that damned computer and come to Sainsburys.

Dusty
 
sandysman said:
Can't the forum start a petition and circulate it to all forum members in the form of an email letter to the Prime minister. I think there is a ruling that if they get so many letters or emails of complaint they are duty bound to look into the issue, I think the figure is something like 250,000. I am sure that if the forum sent an email out with a link to the Downing St web site between us all we know enough people to reach that figure. We have to try and stop this now. This is like the ash tree issue all over again.
Admin, can you help
Andy
Click to expand...

Start one here..
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/
 
Dusty Rhodes said:
I rather think that Admin has his hands full at the minute.

And if not, he deserves a break after the phenomenal number of hours he's put into sorting out the server problem.

He's probably got an 'Admin indoors' who's demanding he gets off that damned computer and come to Sainsburys.

Dusty
Click to expand...

I've met him. He loves it, she loves him, no problem!
 
Dusty Rhodes said:
I rather think that Admin has his hands full at the minute.

And if not, he deserves a break after the phenomenal number of hours he's put into sorting out the server problem.

He's probably got an 'Admin indoors' who's demanding he gets off that damned computer and come to Sainsburys.

Dusty
Click to expand...

sandysman said:
I've met him. He loves it, she loves him, no problem!
Click to expand...


Suddenly, I feel slightly nauseous.

Dusty
 
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