Chungnam Operates Honeybee Death and Disappearance Reporting Center

The Chungnam Provincial Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory is establishing and operating a 'Honeybee Disease Reporting Center.'

On the 16th, the province announced that it will operate the reporting center to reduce damage to honeybee farms caused by diseases such as mite infections.

The reporting center is operated under the supervision of the provincial Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory, with the Provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services, 15 city and county governments, and the Korea Beekeeping Association participating as related organizations.

The diseases targeted for relief include honeybee mite infections, Nosema disease, and American foulbrood, which mainly occur in spring.

During operation, if a case is reported involving a farm with more than 100 colonies or where more than 50% of the colonies have died (been lost), an on-site investigation will be conducted to diagnose honeybee diseases and assess the scale of damage.

This year, the province plans to invest a budget of 835 million KRW to support relief drugs for farms affected by honeybee diseases and vulnerable farms. This is an increase of 151 million KRW compared to the previous year.

Reports related to honeybee diseases can be made through the livestock departments of the city or county offices that have jurisdiction over the location of the beekeeping farms.

In Chungnam, it is estimated that about 110,000 bee colonies suffered disease damage from March to December last year.

Meanwhile, honeybee diseases spread rapidly and cause mass deaths due to the ecological characteristics of honeybees living in colonies, making early diagnosis and prompt response crucial to prevent a decline in beekeeping product productivity.

In particular, honeybee mites, identified as a major cause of recent honeybee disappearances, are known to attach to bees, causing weight loss, larval growth disorders, and wing deformities.

Accordingly, the province plans to operate the reporting center in spring, when honey harvesting activities begin in earnest, to enable early response to honeybee diseases and enhance honey production and the competitiveness of beekeeping farms.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.