Honey bees being kept in the Isle of Man continue to enjoy good health.
That’s the indication taken from a surveillance programme which has been taking place over the past four years to monitor new diseases and pests, most notably Varroa.
Should the Varroa mite get into bees here, it is unlikely that it could be eradicated and would become a chronic cause of disease and reduced production.
At the request of Manx bee keepers, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has supported efforts to maintain the health of Manx hives by the use of statutory controls.
The department introduced new legislation in 2008 to help prevent the spread of disease into the Manx bee population, including a requirement for keepers to register and allow inspection and testing of hives.
Following a field trial in 2008 the department launched the Bee Health Surveillance Programme in September 2009.
Since that time, a significant number of hives have been inspected and tested.
Two testing rounds have now been successfully completed revealing no evidence of the presence of Varroa mite or European Foul Brood disease.
The data from this surveillance will be used to make an application to the European Union for official recognition of disease freedom.
Phil Gawne MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture said: ‘I’m delighted to have been able to work with the bee keepers on this at what is a particularly challenging time for bee health and I look forward to gaining official recognition of our high bee health status from the EU to help secure the health of Manx bees in to the future.
‘The 1989 Bees Act prohibits the importation of bees into the Isle of Man and our recently completed Surveillance Programme will assist us in rigorously enforcing this Act.’
l The Isle of Man Beekeepers’ convention and honey show will take place at St John’s Methodist Hall on Saturday, November 10.
There will be a display of first class honey from around the island along with confectionery and crafts all relating in some way to the honey bee.
Competition judge Peter Matthews, from Dumfries and Galloway, and his wife Christine, who is also a honey judge, will give a lecture entitled Honey and Healing.