Honey Bee Biosecurity - Are you making your bees sick?
- Shelli Quattlebaum
- Oct 31
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 10
Honey Bee Biosecurity in Colorado
We as beekeepers can get busy and overwhelmed sometimes with the long to do list in our apiary's.
When we get busy, we tend to forget steps to ensure we are not transferring viruses and diseases from one apiary to the next. Through exchanging frames, using the same beekeeping gloves and tools and picking up debris like wax and smashed bees on our shoes and carrying it from one apiary to the next.
We are also keeping the frames that could be infecting our next colony. When a colony dies we tend to shake the bees off and we do not investigate further, then store the comb for the next season to put new bees on it. This comb could potentially store EFB/AFB and many other types of bacteria and virus that can be spread between our bee hives.
If we do not check our bees often enough, a colony can die and other bees will rob out the dead colony.
Thus spreading whatever the original colony died from to the next colony.
Lets be better beekeepers and look closer at why our colony's are dying by doing a thorough search of the hive and do a postmortem investigation.
Helpful Links for postmortem investigation for better biosecurity:
Main Government has an organized fact sheet for a hive autopsy.
National Bee Unit for postmortem investigation of a beehive:
IDENTIFYING AND MITIGATING FOULBROOD IN HONEY BEE COLONIES AND REDUCING THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS INFORMATION FOR BEEKEEPERS AND VETERINARIANS
How can we practice better biosecurity for our honey bees in Colorado?
Varroa mites infested Australia in 2022, a national eradication response saw 14,000 hives euthanized before it was determined that it was not feasible to achieve total elimination. Now Australia is focusing on management practices and biosecurity for their honey bees. They are focusing on Barrier Systems to help mitigate the spread of varroa and other viruses and disease.
Australia's Biosecurity Manual
Barrier systems:
A major method of disease spread within an apiary or between apiaries is through the transfer of infected material between hives prior to disease symptoms being detected.
A well-managed barrier system will contain potential spread to within defined units, and enable you to trace both the source and spread of a disease, which will help with management and eradication efforts.
A barrier system is a method of dividing apiaries into smaller sub-units to ensure there is no transfer of potentially infected materials between the sub-units.
The overall purpose is that hives and hive components in one sub-unit are not interchanged with those from another sub-unit, however, how the barrier system is implemented will depend on the individual circumstances of the enterprise.
Good record keeping and forward planning is essential, and all people working with the hives must understand how the system works for it to be effective.
The adoption of a barrier system will enhance traceability, biosecurity and quality assurance aspects of the beekeeping enterprise, as well as build upon best practice principles.
Cleaning and sterilizing beekeeping equipment ?
There are several methods to choose from, described in detail in the Sterilization Methods section of this fact sheet.
The primary options are heat sterilization and chemical sterilization.
Disinfection is the use of a chemical to inactivate or remove an infective agent from inert surfaces.
Sterilization is the total elimination of the microorganism that can transfer the disease (e.g. flaming, radiation)
Cleaning Hive Tools for better biosecurtiy in your beehives
Cleaning your hive tools regularly will go a long way in keeping your hives healthy.
You will want to do a thorough cleaning at least once a month, but you should wipe down your tools with a cleaning cloth every time you use them.
Here are some thorough cleaning options.
Option 1: Use a propane torch to heat the hive tools until they are red-hot, which kills microorganisms.
Once they have cooled down, scrub the tools with a bleach wipe to remove remaining debris. You can use a reusable cloth for this, but remember that propolis is notoriously impossible to get out, so use a cloth that is okay to ruin.
You can also use disposable cleaning wipes easily found in stores or online. Some beekeepers prefer to use metal scrubbers like steel wool or Brillo pads, as they are most efficient at removing propolis.
Option 2: Soak the tools in a 10% bleach solution overnight, scrub off any remaining debris, and rinse.
Remember that whenever you use chemicals on your equipment, you must let them air dry before using on your hives again.
Best Practices
Setting a regular cleaning and sterilization schedule can be extremely helpful, as it can keep you on track and ensure consistently clean equipment.
Regular cleaning and sterilization can also prevent the buildup of pathogens.
Additionally, it is important to keep detailed records of what you do and when.
Note when you sterilize and what method you use, along with any other information that you may want to remember about the process.
Make sure to record observations from your hives to track hive progress over time.
If you suspect something is going on that you diagnostics for, follow this link.
Apiary Inspectors of America keeps an updated list of laboratories private and state government that will process samples for you at your cost.
If you need a Veterinarian to prescribe you antibiotics in Colorado that are familiar with honey bees contact:
Dr. Amy Franklin, DVM Northern Colorado
Dr. Anne Mills, DVM (Denver Metro)
Dr. Kathy Guaghan, DVM (Sedalia. Castle Rock Area)
303-895-6099
More Articles:
Biosecurity in the Bee Yard Beekeeping Basics by MEGHAN MILBRATH
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