What if small hive beetle comes?

[Chris B]

What if FERA destroy your bees if SHB is found in one or more of your apiaries?

It's not like EFB or AFB that are either small scale issues or non-destruction.

Would they pay compensation?
Or do we need insurance?

 

[Hivemaker.]

What if FERA destroy your bees if SHB is found in one or more of your apiaries?

What point would there be to destroying the bees, they don't live on bees like varroa. Plus they also spend part of their life cycle in soil,would they also need to spray miles of countryside in the hope of killing them.

 

[Chris B]

Maybe no point Pete, but their plan is to do just that. Or so I read in an old BeeCraft today.

 

[Hivemaker.]

It's not like EFB or AFB that are either small scale issues or non-destruction.

Would they pay compensation?
Or do we need insurance?

Maybe no point Pete, but their plan is to do just that.

Then they would have to pay compensation, to be fair, if they want us to abide by their rules, same as livestock affected by TB, foot and mouth,sheep buried by snow, etc.

 

[beebreeder]

As they have SHB in the states and formic is used over there I presume it does not hurt the beetle whilst in the hive, someone must have tried it surely!!!!! or possibly other organic acids, just a thought.
And following Chris's original post does BDI cover SHB not that I have BDI but again just a thought

 

[Hivemaker.]

I don't think SHB would thrive in this country, but when we do get it, maybe best if it spreads to every part very rapidly, to prevent the Defra/Fera bunch from victimizing a few.

 

[Norton]

Just to cheer you up, there are about 30 species of hive beetle in Africa just waiting to hitch a ride to other countries. I doubt very much that SHB would be able to become established in the UK. Let's hope we never get to the position of finding this out.

 

[beebreeder]

There is a small article in ABJ showing a lady that has changed her roof covering to Lexan, an American version of the double walled plastic we use on conservatory roofs. This floods light into the hive as they have no crownboard and according to the article the beetles have disappeared but the bees are fine, beetles hate light and moved out I guess!!!!! Lets hope we never have to deal with it