23 April 2024

What does this mean? "Killer Asian hornet warning with 3,000 per cent rise"

In this report, the key sentence occurs at the end:

Killer Asian hornets with a sting that can kill are set to invade the UK in record numbers, sparking fear for British bees and safety concerns for humans. Last year saw an alarming 3,800 per cent increase in sightings of these deadly insects.

This year is expected to bring a full-blown invasion, as experts warn of the potential devastation these hornets can cause. They're known for their ability to wipe out entire beehives within hours, and when swarming, they can pose a lethal threat to humans and other large animals.

In 2022, there were a mere two reported encounters with them, but this figure skyrocketed to 78 in 2023.

Is "3,000 per cent rise" justified - or understandable? Plus the '3,800' figure adds to the confusion, I think!

More to the point, is the battle against Asian Hornet already lost? 

08 April 2024

American Foulbrood found in Perthshire beehive

Never pleasant news for beekeepers. More here: https://www.gov.scot/news/american-foulbrood-found-in-perthshire-beehive-2/ 

The National Bee Unit provides reports of AFB here: https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/diseases-and-pests/reports-charts-and-maps/disease-incidence/live-afb-report/


04 April 2024

Bee Health Improvement Partnership, Scotland

Useful, if somewhat dry, reading about the Bee Health Improvement Partnership: https://www.gov.scot/publications/bee-health-improvement-partnership-bhip-annual-report-2022-2023/ 

The table reporting notifiable disease inspections looks interesting (see below). EFB was much worse in 2020 than in 2023; AFB has rocketed.