Here is a 35 minute presentation by Kirsty Stainton on the most commonly found bee viruses in the UK including Sacbrood, Chronic Bee Paralysis and Deformed Wing Virus. The talk shows how to identify these viruses and what to do if you find them.
Kirsty 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 project is part-funded by Bee Disease Insurance Limited (BDI). BDI uses part of your premium 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 their website.
Meridian Beekeepers’ Association 