Paul vW sent this out on April 1 but I don’t think it was an April Fool’s prank;
Hi Everyone,
Please note the unexpected find of a single adult SHB found a few days ago in Maple Ridge.
For your information, I have attached an updated map.
We will be doing surveying next week of beekeepers within the 5km zone to determine the extent of the infestation.
The survey of commercial beekeepers in the Fraser Valley at the end of the blueberry pollination season will still happen as planned.
Please share this information with your club members. I also encourage beekeepers to inspect their own colonies and look for SHB.
When any beetle is found in a hive, please place the specimen(s) in small container or Ziploc bag and submit to the Abbotsford Animal Health Center for identification.
Alternatively, make a few close-up, good quality pictures and email me for prompt identification.
Regards
Paul van Westendorp
Provincial Apiculturist
British Columbia
West Kootenay Beekeepers 