Small Hive Beetle in mainland Europe

[gavin]

Ah, that *was* sarcasm from Neil, then.

I'm totally bemused as to why the BBKA should want to downplay the risks of importing bees in comparison to other possible routes of entry into the UK. Surely the number one, way and above anything else, risk is that someone will bring bees into the UK (packages, queens with attendents) carrying this pest - so this is the first and by far the most important thing to focus on? Those 1767 recorded queens from Italy (the page has been updated since I last used data from there) and 1200 packages in 2014.

Specifically, is the BBKA really wanting to say this:

'However, we expressed the strong view that movements of bees carried a far lower risk than that of the shipment of fruit, vegetables and other plant materials .... '

Eh??!! Does that make even the slightest bit of sense to anyone reading this? Is there any evidence for fruit, vegetables etc being a higher risk than live bees? By all means consider and do something about the risk from the transport of fruit and suchlike, but for heavens sake, the movement of bees has to be the number one, top of the list, dramatic, serious, immediate risk, doesn't it? The risk requiring immediate and strong action?

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http://www.bbka.org.uk/news_and_even...eetle_in_italy

To BBKA Members:

25 September 2014
FURTHER STATEMENT RE SMALL HIVE BEETLE IN ITALY

BBKA representatives attended the meeting of the Bee Health Advisory Forum held at Defra’s offices on Millbank, on 23 September 2014.
At our request, the discovery of Small Hive Beetle (SHB) in South West Italy was a priority item on the agenda. We learned that the Italian authorities have established a 100km exclusion zone around the apiary where SHB was first found. No exports of bees will be permitted from within this area. However, we expressed the strong view that movements of bees carried a far lower risk than that of the shipment of fruit, vegetables and other plant materials from this area and which are more likely to spread SHB.

The BBKA and other stakeholders at the meeting pressed Defra hard to take steps to avert this major risk via shipments of produce. We are unhappy with an approach which is dependent principally on the actions of the local authorities or on containment measures once SHB is found in the UK. We have insisted that Defra keeps us fully informed of developments and the measures put into effect to combat this threat with all vigour. We will share this information with members as and when received.

Dr David Aston
Chair, BBKA Technical and Environmental Committee

[brecks]

Ah, that *was* sarcasm from Neil, then.

I'm totally bemused as to why the BBKA should want to downplay the risks of importing bees in comparison to other possible routes of entry into the UK. Surely the number one, way and above anything else, risk is that someone will bring bees into the UK (packages, queens with attendents) carrying this pest - so this is the first and by far the most important thing to focus on? Those 1767 recorded queens from Italy (the page has been updated since I last used data from there) and 1200 packages in 2014.

Specifically, is the BBKA really wanting to say this:

'However, we expressed the strong view that movements of bees carried a far lower risk than that of the shipment of fruit, vegetables and other plant materials .... '

Eh??!! Does that make even the slightest bit of sense to anyone reading this? Is there any evidence for fruit, vegetables etc being a higher risk than live bees? By all means consider and do something about the risk from the transport of fruit and suchlike, but for heavens sake, the movement of bees has to be the number one, top of the list, dramatic, serious, immediate risk, doesn't it? The risk requiring immediate and strong action?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.bbka.org.uk/news_and_even...eetle_in_italy

To BBKA Members:

25 September 2014
FURTHER STATEMENT RE SMALL HIVE BEETLE IN ITALY

BBKA representatives attended the meeting of the Bee Health Advisory Forum held at Defra’s offices on Millbank, on 23 September 2014.
At our request, the discovery of Small Hive Beetle (SHB) in South West Italy was a priority item on the agenda. We learned that the Italian authorities have established a 100km exclusion zone around the apiary where SHB was first found. No exports of bees will be permitted from within this area. However, we expressed the strong view that movements of bees carried a far lower risk than that of the shipment of fruit, vegetables and other plant materials from this area and which are more likely to spread SHB.

The BBKA and other stakeholders at the meeting pressed Defra hard to take steps to avert this major risk via shipments of produce. We are unhappy with an approach which is dependent principally on the actions of the local authorities or on containment measures once SHB is found in the UK. We have insisted that Defra keeps us fully informed of developments and the measures put into effect to combat this threat with all vigour. We will share this information with members as and when received.

Dr David Aston
Chair, BBKA Technical and Environmental Committee

Traditional British incompetence at it's best.

[fatshark]

The only way that statement (fruit etc. being a more likely route by which SHB will spread) makes any sense is if there is an assumption that the 100 km "no export" exclusion zone is totally effective in stopping otherwise legal transport of bees/queens … and that there is no SHB outside that zone already. That being the case fruit and veg might be a more likely route of transmission. I think these assumptions are naive. I would prefer a ban on all imports.

[Duncan]

Of what? Fruit?

[gavin]

Of what? Fruit?

All live bee imports, now, until there is clarity on what is really out there. We've been importing fruit from risky places for years, and if SHB has ever come in and established that way, it would be only have been in the S Italian incident. And we don't even know that is the explanation.

Live bees will transmit it in the twinkling of an eye, if it is outside the exclusion area. That is why we have banned live bee imports from just about everywhere other than NZ. Now we have to act within the EU too. If the BBKA are actually arguing against that, then they are failing massively in their duty as the main UK organisation with responsibility for territory covering the ports that allow the great majority of bees into the UK.

Yes, we should also be concerned about non-bee routes into the UK, but to argue against a focus on live bee imports is folly in my humble opinion.

If anyone reading this can justify the BBKA's position, please do tell us. I may be able to collar some of them today inbetween talks at the BIBBA meeting.

[Duncan]

The plan of action has been thought out years ago. No exports from the 100km radius zone around detections. If there was an issue with this rule, then anyone in disagreement should have presented their case previously and not try to change the rules once there is a problem.

Why should imports of queen bees be banned from non-infected areas/countries? There is no reason to. Unless of course the detection of SHB in Italy fits in very comfortably with your own personal general agenda of anti-imports.

[gavin]

Most bee pestilences have moved ahead of detection by a year or three. Any person keen on not further degrading the health of bees in the UK (that's my agenda) has to take that into account. How confident are you that SHB detection (so far) equals distribution?



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[Duncan]

Detection is only as good as the examining authority and the inspectors.

If you are really interested in the health of bees in the UK, why have you not questioned the movement of Galtee strain queen bees into the UK without the necessary health certificates? Their presence in the UK was mentioned on this forum recently - there is no record of this import from Eire on beebase. Or is it again a case of turning a blind eye to that what suits us.

[gavin]

Ireland to UK mainland bee movement? Lowish risk, but I'm not entirely comfortable with that if you really want to know, despite me buying my first ever queens (Irish ones) this year. In the reverse direction, I think those in Ireland should be even more cautious of UK bees given the scale of transnational trade in live bees. S Italy to N Italy to the UK mainland to Ireland would not take much time these days.

So you do accept that detection of bee pathogens is far from instantaneous and complete? That has been the history and the reality we're living in. Failures of containment and globalisation of bee pests. We can keep Colorado potato beetle out of the UK for decades but let's roll over when a bee coleopteran pest comes along.

Here's another case. The bee collapses in Spain have now, quite recently, been ascribed to Nosema ceranae with Lake Sinai Virus. Two previously poorly understood pathogens acting in concert, or so it seems. Free trade creates endless possibilities of such combinations - free trade is not an appropriate model for bees, never mind who agreed or didn't agree with previous consultations. I don't remember being asked.


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[Duncan]

So you admit importing queen bees from Eire without the required paperwork?