As some of you may have picked up on the NBU website, or had email notifications, EFB has unfortunately reared its head again in Surrey this year. It has been found in the WBK area of NBU designated square TQ06, with 3 cases. TQ06 according to the NBU webpage is Weybridge, but in reality covers the area based on the 10 square kilometre grid intersects with the settlements of: Addlestone, Brooklands, Burwood Park, Byfleet, Charlton, Chertsey, Cobham, Egham, Laleham, Littleton, Littleton Common, Lyne, New Haw, Ottershaw, Penton Hook, Pyrford, Row Town, Sheerwater, Shepperton, Shepperton Green, St George’s Hill, Staines-upon-Thames, Stonehill, Stroude, Sunbury-on-Thames, Thorpe, Thorpe Green, Trumps Green, Upper Halliford, Virginia Water, Walton-on-Thames, West Byfleet, Weybridge, Whiteley Village, Woking & Woodham. Although there were no cases reported in Surrey in 2023 (noted that the SBIs were very busy on Asian Hornet activity), in 2022 there were 12 cases; 7 again in TQ06. It is crucially important that Beekeepers:
- Register on Bee Base if they have not already done so the SBI can identify their apiaries and ensure their data is up to date.
- Swarm collectors in these areas be extra vigilant and make use of the division’s isolation apiary if collecting swarms in this area – contact David Parker for access on 07712079307
- Beekeepers in this area be extra vigilant when inspecting their hives and report anything suspicious with photographs of this to our Seasonal Bee Inspector, Stewart Westsmith.
Ordinance Survey TQ06 grid reference map: https://www.sqkm.co.uk/tq/tq06
David
