Urban beekeeping is becoming more popular in the UK. One of the challenges faced by urban beekeepers is finding a suitable apiary location. Honey bees are often perceived as a nuisance, mainly due to their stinging behaviour. Here, we experimentally test the assumption that barriers around an apiary such as walls or fences, force the bees to fly above human height, thereby reducing collisions w...

Biosecurity measures in beekeeping (BMBs) include taken to prevent the spread of diseases by minimizing movement microorganisms and pests apiary, preventing environment from reaching apiary or reducing their effects. Biosafety principles aim infectious factors entering apiaries spreading humans, bees, feed, technological systems order them adversely affecting bee health honey quality. Good prac...

Detection of Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) is reported for the first time in two species of ants (Camponotus vagus and Formica rufa) and in Varroa destructor. A quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) method was used to detect and quantify CBPV in infected bees, ants and mites. A minus-strand-specific RT-PCR was used to assess viral replication. These results suggest a new way by which the infec...

This studywasdesigned to testwhetherhive entrances reducedwithpolyvinyl chloride pipe reduce the ingress of Aethina tumida Murray into Apis mellifera L. colonies and whether screen-mesh bottom boards alleviate side effects associated with restricted entrances. Forty-eight colonies distributed equally between two locations each received one of six experimental treatments: 1) conventional solidbo...

Introduction Islands are widely used to achieve controlled matings of virgin queens because queens and drones are not expected to cross open water during mating flights. However, uncontrolled matings on island mating areas have repeatedly been reported for many islands in close proximity to mainland shorelines (c.f. Neumann et al., 1999b). With increasing distance between island and mainland on...

In an attempt to quantify the degree and extent of losses experienced in U.S. beekeeping operations between September 2006 and March 2007, members of the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) were asked to survey beekeepers who represent the hobby, sideline, and commercial beekeeping industries of their state. In all, 384 beekeeping operations were surveyed representing a total of 143,816 colonies...

Stonebrood is a disease of honey bee larvae caused by fungi from the genus Aspergillus. As very few studies have focused on the epidemiological aspects of stonebrood and diseased brood may be rapidly discarded by worker bees, it is possible that a high number of cases go undetected. Aspergillus spp. fungi are ubiquitous and associated with disease in many insects, plants, animals and man. They ...