Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus – Zoom Meeting, 31st July
This meeting was a presentation about the virus in general, and our local experiences of it. David Parker, who set up the slide presentation, introduced the topic, giving useful background information, followed by Marion Cooper, who described two occurrences of the disease in hers and Geoff’s apiaries. WBK responded to the request in the June BBKA News for assistance with research that Professor Giles Budge is doing on this virus at Newcastle University. Marion described the methods used in the research in which contact between older infected bees and younger ones was reduced. Michael Main presented the results on the colonies used in our Teaching Apiary as part of this project.
We were joined by some members from Guildford and Kingston Divisions as well as by Roger Patterson, a well-known Sussex beekeeper, and Giles Budge. Valuable contributions were made by both of these guests and we were particularly grateful to Giles for giving us the benefit of his ongoing research as he answered questions at the end of the evening.
Andrew Halstead recorded the presentation so that it is available for those unable to attend.
It can be viewed via this link:
It is also live now in the Members Area of our WBK website, under Presentations and Training Videos on YouTube
I should like to thank those who responded to the request to let us know if their bees are affected this year. Reports have been received from three more areas within our Division, but these areas are not adjacent to each other or to those already reported, so the infection seems widespread, although thankfully not very prevalent so far. Keep looking out for the classic signs:
- • Large numbers of dead bees on hive floors and/or outside the hive
- • Bees struggling to walk and appearing to tremble
- • Bees with their wings held out sideways, away from their bodies
- • Bees that have lost the hairs on their bodies and appear black, and oily/greasy
If found, please let Marion Cooper know as she is keeping a record of cases;
There are two pieces of good news locally about CBPV:
1. The infected bees seem to be recovering slowly, although sadly depleted.
2. We are pleased that the infected Apiary at the Teaching Apiary is now involved with the research project being run by Prof Giles Budge at Newcastle University. Most of the data collection is kindly being done by Michael Main, with help from others as required.
Marion Cooper