American Foulbrood found in Perthshire beehive

An outbreak of American Foulbrood (AFB) has been found in a single hive in the Stanley area of Perthshire.

The infected hive was detected by the beekeeper, with the disease being confirmed by SASA on 5 April 2024. This is the first finding of AFB in Scotland this year.

AFB is a notifiable disease that affects colonies of honeybees. There is no treatment for the disease.

Beekeepers within 3km from the affected colony will be alerted via BeeBase and encouraged to increase their biosecurity.

Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland Sheila Voas said:

“The finding of AFB a timely reminder that beekeepers should remain vigilant for signs of the disease at all times. There are no risks to public health and no implications for the quality and safety of Scottish honey.

"The movement of bees and related equipment into, or out of, the affected apiary will be under specific restrictions supervised by Scottish Government Bee Inspectors and will include enhanced biosecurity measures and increased vigilance in the area.  

"Beekeepers should make sure they are aware of the symptoms of AFB and report suspicion of disease to the Scottish Government Honey Bee Health Team. I would also encourage Scottish beekeepers to register on BeeBase so that they can be informed of any disease outbreaks in their area.”

Background

AFB is a notifiable disease under The Bee Diseases and Pests Control (Scotland) Order 2007 (as amended).

Read the guidance on Honey bee health.

In 2023 there were 36 honey bee colonies confirmed positive for AFB in Scotland, in 13 different apiaries and belonging to six different beekeepers. Disease trends of the disease through the years are publicly available in BeeBase.