AN OUTBREAK of American Foulbrood, a disease which affects colonies of honeybees, has been found in an apiary near Inverness.

The disease was confirmed following laboratory diagnosis by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture. The AFB infected hive has since been destroyed as there is no permitted treatment for the disease in the UK. There are no risks to public health from AFB and no implications for the quality and safety of honey.

The affected apiary is located at Scaniport, an area west of Inverness, and the movement of bees and related equipment into or out of the affected area is now prohibited.

Bee farmers and beekeepers are being urged to be vigilant for signs of the disease, to maintain good husbandry practices and to notify any suspicion of disease to Bees_Mailbox@gov.scot. Classic signs of the disease are sunken cappings on cells, which when uncapped reveal dead larvae in various stages of decomposition. The larvae have a caramel like, light to dark brown consistency and when drawn out, the decomposing material strings out rather than snapping off – the so-called 'ropiness' test.

In order to assist Scottish Government Bee Inspectors to control this and other diseases, beekeepers are urged to register on BeeBase, the national bee database. This will give them access to up-to-date information on the control of AFB and bee related issues.

Beekeepers in the area of this outbreak who are not on BeeBase are requested to register at https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/public/register.cfm or send their contact details to Bees_Mailbox@gov.scot.

AFB is caused by a spore-forming bacterium called Paenibacillus. The bacterium forms spores that, when subjected to stress (for example, lack of nutrients), are the cause and source of the disease.

Spores enter the bee larva through feeding of contaminated food. The bacteria kill the bee larva by completely consuming the body tissues. The spores are highly resistant to extremes of temperature, chemical attack and other adverse conditions that kill most bacteria and remain viable for many years.

The spores allow the bacterium to survive harsh conditions, germinating and reproducing when the hardship has passed (for example, when nutrients become available again).

This is a repetitive cycle, meaning it is difficult to eliminate the spores from colonies. AFB kills off bee larva, is highly contagious and is difficult to eradicate. Unlike European foulbrood (EFB), hives with AFB cannot be treated and must be destroyed as there is no permitted treatment for the disease in the UK.