Bee Disease Insurance Limited sent the following information for circulation to Meridian members.
Whole Apiary Shook Swarm Trial
Bee Disease Insurance Limited (BDI) has announced the start of their whole apiary shook swarm trial in partnership with the National Bee Unit (NBU).
Bee inspectors will now offer to beekeepers who find European Foul Brood (EFB) in a colony the opportunity to have their entire apiary shook swarmed and the combs destroyed with BDI providing compensation for all the combs not just those on the infected hives.
BDI and the NBU are hopeful that this two year trial will show a reduction in the re-occurrence of EFB and therefore point to a better way of dealing with this destructive disease. Further details of the trail can be found on the BDI website. BDI
BDI Annual General Meeting with a talk on bee viruses – Why beekeepers needs to know about them by Kirsty Stainton
Virtual AGM via Zoom on Friday 4 June at 14.00.
Kirsty Stainton on Bee Viruses – Why beekeepers needs to know about them
Kirsty Stainton is a post-doctoral research scientist working at the Pirbright Institute. She worked at Fera from 2016 to 2020 where she performed research for the National Bee Unit that included molecular detection of the invasive pests Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Asian hornet) and Aethina tumida (Small hive beetle), molecular analysis of the Asian hornet diet and research into the use of antivirals to treat honey bees. Before working at Fera, Kirsty worked for 8 years on a bacterial endosymbiont called Wolbachia, and researched its ability to inhibit arboviruses in mosquitoes. These experiences have led to Kirsty’s current research project at Pirbright, investigating the potential ability for Wolbachia to inhibit honey bee viruses, such as DWV and CBPV.
Kirsty’s current project is being part funded by BDI.
BDI has invited all Meridian members to their AGM and talk. The link to the meeting and talk is below:
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88329044894?pwd=WURVbDFMS0RtZjdjS05QSExSek1xdz09
BDI Financial Statements for the year ending 31st December 2020
BDI remains financially strong, with an increase in the value of investments of £58,000 despite the market turmoil in the Spring of 2021 as the pandemic emerged. These investments are held for the long term and enable BDI to fund research, as well as to build up a buffer in case of a major outbreak of disease, particularly any new ‘exotic’ pest that might arrive on our shores. They are in addition to the reserves we hold in cash equivalents to cover our insurance requirements.
The company continues to use some of the investment surplus to fund research into bee diseases, with £48,000 invested in this area in 2020. Details of all the projects being funded by BDI can be found on the research pages of our website
