Confirmed Foulbrood Cases from 1/1/01 to 27/4/01 
NBU South East Region
 

County Name OS 10 km Sq Area Name AFB apiaries AFB colonies EFB apiaries EFB colonies
East Sussex TQ41 N.E. Lewes 0 0 1 5
Greater London TQ26 Epsom & Sutton 0 0 1 3
Greater London TQ36 Croydon 0 0 1 1
Greater London TQ47 Woolwich & Eltham 0 0 1 1
Kent TQ47 Woolwich & Eltham 0 0 1 1
Kent TQ66 Meopham 0 0 1 1
Kent TQ77 N. Rochester & Hoo 0 0 2 2
Kent TQ84 Headcorn 0 0 1 1
Kent TR06 Faversham 1 1 0 0
Surrey SU95 W. Guildford/ Woking 0 0 2 4
Surrey TQ06 Weybridge 0 0 1 1
Surrey TQ14 Dorking 0 0 1 1
Surrey TQ25 Reigate & Banstead 0 0 1 1
West Sussex TQ10 Worthing 0 0 1 1
West Sussex TQ21 Henfield 0 0 1 2
 
Note:
The Area Name refers to the main town(s) or village(s) in the relevant 10 km Ordnance Survey square. However, this will not always correspond exactly with the town or village where foulbrood has occurred.
Please see an O.S. map or atlas for further details.
I am attaching details of the cases of foulbrood found so far this season in the NBU South East Region. As you will see, cases of EFB have already been found in all counties, and a single case of AFB has been
found in Kent.

Overall, fewer foulbrood infected colonies have been found than usual. However, this is probably largely the result of poor weather which has reduced the number of colony inspections made by bee inspectors and beekeepers alike. I'd expect these figures to increase sharply over the next month as more inspections occur.

Apart from foulbrood, generally colony condition this spring is not good. Winter losses seem to have been usually high, probably as a result of problems such as nosema which have been exacerbated by the long damp winter. Although there are some strong colonies about, most are relatively weak for this time of year. Many surviving colonies are now getting desperately short of stores - there are few that would not benefit from a gallon of syrup to keep them going until good weather finally comes along.

I get the impression that foot and mouth restrictions are proving less of a problem now, and most beekeepers have managed to make at least one visit to their bees on farmland - if only to feed or put a stack of supers on. However, bee inspectors are still keeping away from apiaries with livestock as far as possible, and following strict hygiene procedures where we do visit farmland.

James Morton 

South-Eastern Regional Bee Inspector
Central Science Laboratory 
National Bee Unit
Tel/fax: 020 8571 6450
Mobile: 07719 924 418
E-mail: j.morton@csl.gov.uk
Web: http://www.csl.gov.uk
Address: 'Geertje', Canal Lock 92, Windmill Lane, Southall, Middx, UB2 4NH

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