INVESTIGATION OF MICROORGANISM CONTAMINATION POINTS IN BEEKEEPING EQUIPMENTS WITH CLINICAL SIGNS OF FOULBROOD IN APIARIES

Infections in honey bees affect both young and adult bees. Most of these infections are of bacterial origin. In this study, it was aimed to determine whether hive tool, beekeeper smooker, gloves, feeder and beekeeper suit used in the same colonies with clinical signs of foulbrood in apiaries are a reservoir source in terms of microbial infections. For this purpose, samples were collected from 29 different apiaries in the Southern Marmara region. The samples were brought to the laboratory under appropriate conditions, and agent isolation and identification were performed. Different microorganisms were isolated from feeder, hive tool, beekeeper smoker, gloves and beekeeper suit samples collected from each apiary. Bacteria isolated from the samples taken from the hives with clinical signs of foulbrood and from the samples taken from the tools and equipment were isolated as the same species or as a mixture. As a result, an intense presence of microorganisms was detected in the feeder, hive tool, beekeeper smoker, gloves and beekeeper suit used by beekeepers, and it was determined that these materials used in beekeeping were a source of microbial reservoirs.