Alarm in Schulzendorf: American lazy brood threatens bee colonies!

Alarm in Schulzendorf: American lazy brood threatens bee colonies!

Schulzendorf, Deutschland - On June 4, 2025, an outbreak of the American fauline brood was registered with a bee colony in Schulzendorf, in the Dahme-Spreewald district. The American lazy brood is a bacterial infectious disease that affects the brood of bee colonies and, as a result, reduces the bee population considerably. Affected peoples are often not strong enough to survive winter. Fortunately, the disease is harmless to humans, and honey can continue to be consumed without hesitation, as well as the Animal disease information Lower Saxony confirmed.

The responsible veterinary authorities immediately set up a blocking circuit of one kilometer around the location of the infection, which remains at least until the end of July. This procedure is intended to prevent the spread of animal disease under beekeepers. All beekeepers in the district are obliged to regularly control their bee colonies and report abnormalities. Within the blocking district, all bee colonies must be examined by official veterinarians, while the introduction or removal of bee colonies is prohibited, such as rbb24 reported.

measures and consequences for the beekeepers

beekeepers affected are often forced to burn entire bee colonies as well as work equipment and even protective clothing. The veterinary offices decide whether the peoples are renovated or destroyed. The beekeepers receive little compensation, which often do not even cover the actual losses. These rigorous measures are necessary because the American foul brood occurs regularly in Brandenburg and is usually introduced from the outside. Bees themselves are not directly affected, but can act as a carrier of the pathogens.

The diagnosis and treatment of the American faulbre is subject to strict regulations, which are also specified in the new Tierarzneimittelgesetz . The legislator calls for a documentation of all medical treatments from bee colonies, which forces beekeepers to lead detailed existing books. Innovative procedures are intended for monitoring the Varroa maiden population to minimize stress in the bee colony and ensure the health of the peoples in the long term.

long -term perspectives and challenges

The spores of the bacterium, which causes American lazy brood, can survive up to 50 years under unfavorable conditions, which makes the fighting and coordination of biocides particularly challenging. Regular control of bee colonies is crucial to prevent the spread of the disease and to secure the vitality of the bee populations. While the bees rave and prepare for the coming winter, monitoring the health of the peoples remains a central task for all beekeepers in the region.