Bees endangered by empty honey jars

Dangerous bee disease contained

06/14/2012

In 2011, numerous bee colonies in the Bavarian community Eichenau were attacked by the American Faulbrut. After extensive control measures, the dangerous bee disease seems to be defeated for the time being. But the pathogens can still be transmitted decades after the actual outbreak, so that in the future with further occurrences in the region is to be expected.

The American Faulbrut is a bacterial brood diseases, which infects the larvae of the honey bees. For the bee larvae, the American foul brood is deadly, whole bee colonies are based on a propagation of the pathogens in the hive. In Eichenau, the American foul brood occurred last year at an apiary with around 20 bee colonies. However, the immediate countermeasures have apparently been successful. In the recent inspections, no trace of the American foul brood was detected in any bee colony in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck - the epidemic is therefore considered extinct, reports the „Southgerman newspaper“.

Outbreak of bee disease in 2011
After the notifiable animal epidemic was detected at an apiary in Eichenau in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck in August 2011, the competent authorities set up a restricted area within a radius of one kilometer around the affected apiary. All beekeepers within the restricted area - a total of ten - had to ensure that none of their 60 bee colonies left the restricted area. From outside, no new peoples could be brought into the area. The infested brood was destroyed, the old incubators were boiled or burned with caustic soda. The clinically suspect bees were relocated to a disinfected new box. Subsequently, in the autumn of 2011 and in the spring of 2012 followed by controls of the remaining bee colonies in the Sperrbezirk. The results of the last investigation were negative, so that the outbreak of the American Faulbrut in the municipality Eichenau is considered extinct.

American Faulbrood can break out anytime again
However, the victory over the American foul brood is by no means final, because the pathogens form so-called endospores that can be preserved for decades in the affected brood comb and at any time can ensure a renewed outbreak of bee diseases. The endospores also enter the honey during processing, which contributes significantly to the spread of the pathogens. Thus warned the head of the veterinary office in the Bavarian Bruck, Hans Werner Merk, opposite the „South German newspaper“ before a new spread of American foulbrood by non-rinsed honey jars in the glass containers. The sweetish smell of the honey jars attracts local bees, who then become infected with the American foulbrood, the expert explained. Merk therefore called on consumers to thoroughly clean the honey jars before throwing them away. However, the beekeepers are also requested to always close hives that are no longer occupied, as the pathogens of bee diseases can be dormant in the wax.

Billighonig as a reason for the spread of bee disease?
The chairman of the beekeeping association for Fürstenfeldbruck and surroundings, Reinhard Biller, emphasized to the „South German newspaper“, that the American foul brood in this country could break out again and again, „as long as consumers prefer foreign cheap honey to local honey.“ The reason for this is that in the US, where much of the imported honey comes from, infested bee colonies are treated with antibiotics so that they can fulfill their most important task - the pollination of fields - despite the spread of American foulbrood. However, antibiotics only help in the active growth phase of the pathogens, but not against the endospores. These are still present in the beehives and are processed into honey, where, according to the experts, they can survive for around a year.

About the empty honey jars, the pathogens are then transferred to other peoples. Although the American foul brood is generally no danger to humans, other living beings or adult bee, but the bee larvae usually do not survive an infestation. Since the pathogens spread relatively quickly, so in a short time whole bee colonies can disappear for lack of offspring.

Bees threatened by different factors
In addition to the American Faulbrut numerous other risks threaten the existence of the bees, which in particular the Varroa mite, but also the growing burden of environmental toxins is mentioned. The Varroa mite is regarded as a significant trigger of epidemic-like bee mortality observed in recent years in this country. The tiny parasites attach themselves to the bees or their larvae and feed on their host. For the latter, this infestation often has fatal consequences. The associated dramatic decline in the bee population has raised concern among experts worldwide. Because bees have a significant influence on food production. If the bees are absent, fruit trees and fields are not pollinated, „the natural balance starts to waver“, warned Reinhard Biller. (Fp)

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Picture: ajking