Disease outbreak warning to beekeepers as hives destroyed

Beekeepers have been warned to keep an eye out for signs of the disease

An outbreak of a disease which could wipe out whole colonies of honey bees has been detected at an apiary near Alyth in Perthshire.

Laboratory teams from Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture confirmed a diagnosis of American foulbrood at the hives.

The infected hives have been destroyed, as there is no permitted treatment for the disease in the UK.

Beekeepers have been urged to be vigilant for signs of the disease.

There are no risks to public health or the safety of honey from the disease but the movement of bees and related equipment in and out of the affected apiary is under strict control by Scottish government bee inspectors.

American foulbrood is a notifiable disease capable of wiping out whole colonies and any outbreaks must be reported.

Classic signs of the disease include sunken cappings on cells in hives, which when opened reveal dead larvae with a caramel-like consistency.

Beekeepers have been urged to register on BeeBase, the national bee database, to help control this and other diseases.