IMPORTANT: You have a legal obligation under the Biosecurity Act 1993 to register as a beekeeper. Part of the registration process involves registering your apiaries.
Elimination of AFB
The goal of the American Foulbrood National Pest Management Plan (AFNPMP) is to eliminate American foulbrood in managed colonies (i.e. beehives) in New Zealand. The beekeeping industry is breaking new ground in setting this goal. Elimination of AFB has not been achieved on a national scale before, although there are examples of other animal diseases being eradicated from a country e.g. the eradication of hydatids from New Zealand.
Elimination of AFB is seen as possible in New Zealand both because the country has a relatively small population of honey bee colonies (estimated to be 885,000 including feral colonies), and because importations of additional colonies and other materials capable of carrying AFB are controlled.
Some New Zealand beekeepers have also shown that elimination on a national level is possible. By destroying colonies with AFB instead of using antibiotics, and using management techniques to avoid the spread of the disease to other hives, they have effectively eliminated the disease from their own businesses.
Pupal Tongue roping out
AFB infected larva will rope out 10-30mm before “snapping back”
Videos
Our videos cover everything from your legal obligations to how to recognise AFB, collecting cell and bee samples and more.
Symptoms
There’s a lot of good information here, telling you everything you need to know about recognising AFB: the visual symptoms, smell of AFB and more.
Inspection and Diagnosis
Successfully eliminate AFB by telling the difference between symptoms of AFB and other brood diseases in the hive. We tell you the best methods for inspecting your hives.
The Law
New Zealand beekeepers have a number of legal obligations that must be met regarding AFB disease. Read the shortened list in summary, here.
Elimination
Most hives become infected because bees, honey or equipment have been put into a hive from another hive that is infected with AFB. Lower your chances of an AFB infection by reading this section.
AFB Recognition Course Info
Learn about the classroom based and online AFB Recognition Courses and Refresher Courses. Classroom based courses are held throughout the year in various New Zealand locations across the South Island and North Island.
The AFB App
This App is used to help diagnose AFB in your hives. Please click here to open. To save to your device, once open, you need to bookmark the URL on your phone so you can find it easily again.