June 16, 2017, Saint John, NB – A honey bee pest, the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, has been reported in New Brunswick for the first time.

It has been found in honey bee colonies imported from Ontario in wild blueberry fields at the following locations:

Alnwick (near Brantville)

Pont-Lafrance in Gloucester County

two locations near Saint-Sauveur (Lord and Foy area)

Saint-Isidore

All imported colonies and NB colonies in blueberry fields from the areas indicated above are in quarantine until further notice. They are not permitted to be moved within blueberry fields or between blueberry fields.

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In order to locate NB bee colonies in these areas, DAAF would like NB blueberry growers with fields in these areas to contact department staff and indicate where the NB colonies are located and who they belong to.