Movement of infested hives accelerating spread of small hive beetle pest: experts

The small hive beetle (SHB), a pest affecting honeybees, bumblebees and stingless bees, could spread rapidly over large distances if infested hives are moved, experts from the EU's food regulatory body European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) said Tuesday.

The agency said restrictions on the movement of honey bees, bumblebees and commodities from infested to non-infested areas should therefore be maintained to prevent the pest spreading further in the EU.

Animal health experts constructed two mathematical models to predict the potential spread of SHB from infested to non-infested areas.

These showed it would take more than 100 years for the SHB to move naturally from Calabria to Abruzzo (around 250 km), but movement of infested hives would accelerate the process significantly.

EFSA assessed risk-mitigating factors that could be effective in ensuring safe intra-EU trade of live bees, apiculture products and by-products.

They found detection of SHB by visual inspection was highly effective and feasible for consignments of queen bees.

Moreover, use of fine mesh (with a maximum 2mm pore size) to avoid contamination during transport is highly effective for consignments of bees, bee products to be used in apiculture, non-extracted comb honey and used beekeeping equipment.

Freezing, heating and desiccation of bee products and used equipment are also highly effective at reducing the risk of SHB transmission.

Besides, beekeepers should keep records of movements of their hives to facilitate investigation of outbreaks.

SHB was first detected in Calabria in September 2014 and in Sicily a few weeks later. These areas are a major source of queen bees that are shipped to many parts of the EU.

New SHB detections in Calabria in September and October 2015 indicate that the infestation has not yet been eradicated. Endit