After there was no outbreak of the American Faulbrut in last year Hesse has now given the bee disease. In meaning in the Lahn-Dill district, it currently has to be fought. According to the Hessian Ministry of Agriculture, there is only this outbreak throughout the state this year.
The American lazy brood is a bacterial disease of the bee brood and, if left untreated, leads to the death of entire bee colonies. For bees, however, it is highly contagious, but for humans harmoniously, as Verena Rübsam says, the chairwoman for bee health is at the State Association of Hessian beekeepers. First and foremost, the disease is spread over food – by feeding or robbery. “Contaminated honeycombs or contaminated equipment can also contribute to the distribution,” said Rübsam.
In order to prevent the infection of other bee colonies, no bees should be spent from an affected area, nor is a wax and no honeycomb. There is also an obligation to advertise. “As soon as there is a suspicion that Faulbrut could have broken out, the beekeeper must become active and report it to the responsible authority.» All measures would have to be taken to avoid kidnapping the animal disease.
Bees do not feed foreign honey
For this purpose, beekeepers should only buy bee colonies with a valid health certificate and do not feed a stranger honey. “Import honey often has a high spore content,” explained Rübsam. In addition, beekeepers should regularly check their own brood honeycombs in the bee colony and adhere to hygiene at the beehive.
Empty hinges should never be open or accessible to bees. Also, beekeepers should not hike with the bee colonies without a valid health certificate. “In the event of abnormalities in the brood or a lot of dead cases, beekeepers should become aware and consult a bee expert,” said Rübsam. The beekeeping must be reported to the responsible veterinary office with a location.
The expert also points out that the State Association of Hessian beekeepers set up a bee health mobile two years ago that can be borrowed. “There is everything that is required for a renovation of the bee colonies.”
So far no spread beyond the blocking district
In mind, where the disease had to be combated in 2023, according to the district administration, the Faulbrut outbreak was found in a beehive in two peoples. A blocking district was set up in the municipality, in which a large part of the examinations and samples of the beehives and colonies have already been carried out. A spread beyond the current blocking district has not yet been known, it said.
“We have already started the renovation of the beehive affected by the outbreak,” said the district administration. In addition, a general order to protect the bees against the American lazy brood was issued. It was arranged in this a repetitive veterinary examination of all bee colonies and beehives in the restricted area.
To support the appeal to bee keepers
All beekeepers and beekeepers are asked for increased vigilance and immediate reporting symptoms, the authority said. Typical signs of the disease include darkly discolored, sunken and partly holey cell lid, a incomplete, irregular breeding picture, a thread -like mass in the breeding cell and a weak bee colony.
In order to prevent spreading, the information was said to have a delivery lock for bee colonies and all materials and objects that came into contact with bees. “It is essential that all bee keepers support us in combating animal searches,” emphasized the district administration. And: “Since the disease is completely harmless to humans, honey can continue to be used as food.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 250415-930-441004/1
