As beekeepers, it is our responsibility to take care of the health of our honey bees. The practice of managing your beekeeping operation to reduce the introduction and spread of disease causing pests is referred to as biosecurity (CFIA 2022). Honey bees present a biosecurity situation unique from other livestock species because they have freedom to roam and can interact with other bees and apiaries. This means that the health of our honey bees as a region depends on every beekeeper, regardless of operation size. In the upcoming blogs, we will discuss biosecurity and how to incorporate it into your apiary management.
Honey Bee Biosecurity
Honey bees are susceptible to a wide variety of pests, some
of which come with the risk of disease. Biosecurity practices help us reduce
the risk of introducing these pests into our colonies as well as contain the
spread, should they be introduced. The introduction of pests can be thought of
on a wide scale. For Canadian beekeepers, this could be as broad as pest
spreading into Canada or as close as moving from one hive in our apiary to
another.
The Honey
Bee Producer Guide to the National Bee Farm-level Biosecurity Standard is a
document that has been produced to help beekeepers across Canada improve their
biosecurity practices. It outlines a management standard which can be
voluntarily practiced and is applicable to both large and small-scale
beekeepers to help prevent and control pests. Introducing these practices
into your management will support stronger colonies with a more vigorous
capacity for pollination and honey production, reduce overwintering losses,
save money on expensive treatments, slow the timeline of pest resistance to our
important chemical treatments, and more.
A critical step in keeping your apiary free of pests is by
obtaining new bees and bee products from reliable sources with documented the
health records. When buying bees from within your own province, make sure to
ask the seller about the health of their colonies, recent treatments, and a
record of a health check from a provincial inspector. Importing bees from
outside of the province or outside of the country requires more action to
ensure biosecurity. CAPA has produced a Guide
for Beekeepers on Procedures to Move, Export, or Sell Honey Bees Across Canada,
which contains up to date information for procedures and relevant contact
information for all provinces. There are also importation protocols which are
unique to each Atlantic province, listed below. In addition to reviewing these
protocols, it is advised to communicate directly with your provincial apiarist
before doing any honey bee importations.
Biosecurity management practices apply within your apiary, as well. The first line of defense is to maintain strong colonies that are less susceptible to pests. For example, this includes ensuring your bees have adequate nutrition year-round and providing them with a hive that protects them from the elements. Another important aspect of biosecurity is being able to accurately identify pests and their symptoms in your bees. Beyond this, it is important to have a plan of what to do if a pest is then detected. For example, what treatments are appropriate and whether your provincial apiarist needs to be informed. To reduce spread, it is also recommended to minimize the contact between an impacted hive and the rest of your colonies. This includes direct bee to bee contact as well as indirect contact through actions like feeding and handling.
For more detailed information on all of the actions you can
take to improve biosecurity in your apiary, the Honey
Bee Producer Guide to the National Bee Farm-level Biosecurity Standard
offers very detailed and complete guidance. The Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs also offers relevant, more concise information
on biosecurity practices which can be applied in Atlantic Canada. Next
week, we will return to this topic and discuss specifically how biosecurity can
be incorporated into your facilities management.
Provincial Protocols for Honey Bee Importations
Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (2022). Honey Bee Producer Guide to the National Bee Farm-level Biosecurity Standard. https://inspection.canada.ca/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/biosecurity/standards-and-principles/honey-bee-producer-guide/eng/1378390483360/1378390541968
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