Updated Varroa Map of Scotland
As part of the Honey Bee Health Strategy’s Implementation Plan, the Varroa map, first introduced in 2023, was developed to help identify areas in Scotland where particular care is needed to prevent the spread of Varroa to regions that are still free of the pest.
One noticeable highlight from the promotion and communications of this, was the partnership with NorthLink Ferries, who kindly agreed to display the poster at their ports and on board their vessels, helping us reach beekeepers travelling between mainland Scotland and the Orkney Islands.
In keeping with our commitment to provide up-to-date information, the Scottish Government’s Honey Bee Health Team has completed a biannual update of the Varroa map. This update incorporates new data from BeeBase and reports from Scottish beekeepers to reflect:
- Areas where Varroa has been reported present
- Areas with mixed reports (i.e. some localised presence or absence)
- Areas with no reported cases of Varroa
Key changes include:
- No part of Skye and Raasay currently has a sufficient number of Varroa-free beekeepers to define the area as ‘free’; the entire island has therefore been reclassified as ‘mixed’
- A slight expansion has been recorded in the area of Mull
- On a positive note, all samples submitted from Orkney continue to show no reported cases of Varroa
The updated Varroa map and flyer can be downloaded and printed by clicking on the links below
If you would like to contact the Scottish Government Bee Health Team please email Bees_Mailbox@gov.scot
