Identification of Aethina tumida, the Small Hive Beetle, by morphological examination and PCR Aims: To evaluate the conformity of the results obtained by the European Union (EU) National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) for the identification of Aethina tumida by morphological examination and PCR. Requirements for participation: NRLs from EU Member States and NRLs from third countries (depending on the feasibility). Inter-laboratory comparative test (ILCT) methods:...

The EURL for Bee Health held its 9th. annual workshop on 16th. October 2019 at ANSES Sophia Antipolis. This year the EURL presented the feedback on the three interlaboratory proficiency tests (ILPT) organised in 2018-2019, on the small hive beetle (SHB), Paenibacillus larvae and Tropilaelaps as well as the ILPTs scheduled in 2020. Since the last annual workshop, methods were also developed and/or validated for the quantification of pesticides multiresidues in nectar, for the identification of...

The inter-laboratory tests (ILTs) organised by Anses are now managed through an online tool: LEILA, accessible via the following link: https://leila.anses.fr.   LEILA enables to consult the list of the Anses ILTs (organised in the past, in progress, or open for registration). For more information about LEILA use and the creation of your laboratory account, please consult the user manual (start at page 40 for the English version).

Note prepared by the EU RL for Honeybee Health (Laboratory of  Anses Sophia Antipolis) Updated news (26th. July 2019) To see the details of the outbreaks observed in 2018, please click here. 

The proficiency test organised by the EU RL in 2019 will be on the identification of Paenibacillus larvae, the American foulbrood agent, by microscopic examination in crushed honeybee larvae. The proficiency test will be organised in March 2019 and it will aim at evaluating the conformity (specificity and sensitivity) of the results obtained using the method routinely used in the participating laboratories for the diagnosis of American foulbrood. The deadline for registration is 15th. ...

Note prepared by the EU RL for Honeybee Health (Laboratory of  Anses Sophia Antipolis) Updated news (11th. December 2018) To see the details of the outbreaks observed in 2017, please click here. 

The EURL for Honeybee Health held its 8th. annual workshop on 02nd. October 2018. The main activities conducted by the EURL in 2018 were presented. The agenda focused on the transfer of multiresidue methods to the GC-MS/MS, the enhancement of diagnostic tools in parasitology, virology and bacteriology, the feedback on an interlaboratory proficiency test (ILPT) organised in 2017 on Nosema spores counting by microscopy and the ILPTs to come in 2019. Besides the presentation of the main actions...

A suspicion of introduction of the small hive beetle (SHB) (Aethina tumida) through honey bee queen imports from Argentina was notified in France in April 2018. Following laboratory analyses, (see the Commission Regulation EU 206/2010) eggs suspected to be of A. tumida were indeed detected in the cages. Cages, accompanying attendants and packages were sent to the French National Reference Laboratory (NRL) at Anses Sophia Antipolis for identification. Identification of SHB species being not...

A leaflet presenting the European Foulbrood disease caused by the bacterium Melissococcus plutonius has been produced by the EURL in collaboration with the NRLs from Sweden and Switzerland. This leaflet is intended for the beekeepers and is available in free access here. We thank all the persons who participated to the writing of this leaflet. Reminder: in this page you will also find the leaflets on the Small Hive Beetle, Tropilaelaps spp., the American foulbrood and Vespa...

There are no proficiency tests planned for 2018. The next proficiency tests will be organised in 2019 and they will be announced on the website at the beginning of 2019. We remind that these proficiency tests are mainly intended for the National Reference Laboratories and the Official Laboratories of the European Union. If other laboratories are interested in participating in a proficiency test, please contact eurl.bee@anses.fr for more information.