Bee keepers have been advised to step up their bio security as a case of American Foulbrood (AFB) has been discovered in Kincardineshire.

The infected hive was detected by the beekeeper, with the disease confirmed by SASA on 4th June 2026. This is the first finding of AFB in Scotland this year.

AFB is a notifiable disease that affects colonies of honeybees. There is no treatment for the disease.

Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland Sheila Voas said:

“The finding of AFB a timely reminder that beekeepers should always remain vigilant for signs of the disease. There are no risks to public health and no implications for the quality and safety of Scottish honey.

“The movement of bees and related equipment into, or out of, the affected apiary will be under specific restrictions supervised by Scottish Government Bee Inspectors and will include enhanced biosecurity measures and increased vigilance in the area.

“Beekeepers should make sure they are aware of the symptoms of AFB and report suspicion of disease to the Scottish Government Honey Bee Health Team.

“I would also encourage Scottish beekeepers to register on BeeBase so that they can be informed of any disease outbreaks in their area.”

In Scotland there are currently around 1,400 hobby beekeepers who are members of the Scottish Beekeepers Association (SBA), with an estimated further 1,000 hobbyists who are not. There are also around 25 commercial bee farmers who are members of the Bee Farmers Association (BFA)  whose businesses depend on the management of healthy honey bees.

There is a range of information available to beekeepers on the National Bee Unit (NBU) website BeeBase.