Varroa in Caithness

[gavin]

Sadly, another community of beekeepers is now facing up to their beekeeping changing forever: Varroa has spread to the beekeepers of Caithness. Halkirk is one place the mite has been found but there are also reports from elsewhere.

Once it has been spotted in a new area it is generally too late to eliminate it - unless the introduction is very recent and especially if the beekeeper is very isolated. In this case there is quite a community of beekeepers and it seems unlikely that they will now ever be free of it. Those of us who have faced the pest for many years can perhaps help by sharing our experiences, but this is going to be a hard blow to a community that tried hard to keep the mite out.

[greengumbo]

Sadly, another community of beekeepers is now facing up to their beekeeping changing forever: Varroa has spread to the beekeepers of Caithness. Halkirk is one place the mite has been found but there are also reports from elsewhere.

Once it has been spotted in a new area it is generally too late to eliminate it - unless the introduction is very recent and especially if the beekeeper is very isolated. In this case there is quite a community of beekeepers and it seems unlikely that they will now ever be free of it. Those of us who have faced the pest for many years can perhaps help by sharing our experiences, but this is going to be a hard blow to a community that tried hard to keep the mite out.

Any idea how it arrived Gav ?

[gavin]

Any idea how it arrived Gav ?

No, not really. There is a story that bees have been brought in, but I don't know if it was someone moving into the area, an uninformed beginner coupled with a greedy vendor, or something else.

Interesting to re-read Doris' post from over 4 years ago, and the discussion that followed. There were at least two other vendors of bees compromising the status of the Isle of Lewis shortly before then.

[drumgerry]

Sad news indeed. But dare I say it...inevitable? Too much selfishness in the beekeeping world for varroa not to reach nearly everywhere in Scotland

[lindsay s]

I have been in contact with a few Caithness beekeepers for a number of years. I have even made tentative enquiries about exchanging queens because we were both in varroa free areas; sadly this is no longer the case. The varroa discovery in Halkirk was confirmed at the end of last week and I was contacted a few days later so I could pass on the news up here.
Varroa has been slowly creeping up the north east coast of Sutherland. But natural barriers and bee free areas have stopped varroa spreading from the infected areas of Sutherland into Caithness for a number of years. Halkirk is smack bang in the middle of Caithness and the only way the varroa arrived was by moving bees. The beekeepers that discovered the varroa don’t move their bees. Further checks were carried out today by uncapping drone brood at different apiaries and varroa was found. My contact says varroa has now been found within a six mile radius of Halkirk and it looks like it has been around for some time.
I was told that treatment plans are being made and the local press have been informed but not all the local beekeepers are members of the association so it might be hard to get everyone on board.
Any Caithness beekeepers who browse this forum log on, make yourself known and let us know how you’re getting on. I wish you all the best for the future.

[The Drone Ranger]

Bad News
Drones travel long distances and hive hop so it may not be people moving bees into the area
On a positive note there are good treatments available now