Following the confirmed findings of Tropilaelaps mites in Russia and Georgia, concerns have been raised that these ectoparasites of honey bee brood are spreading. Therefore Defra have produced a Rapid Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) to re-assess the risk posed to UK apiculture by Tropilaelaps mites. Tropilaelaps mites are not native to Europe but have the potential to cause significant losses to apiculture and disrupt pollination services, threatening food security when they arrive in new regions. The risk of Tropilaelaps was previously assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2013; a link to the EFSA risk assessment can be found here.
Tropilaelaps mites are a statutory notifiable pest in the UK and if they were found contingency action would be taken to prevent them from spreading. The PRA assesses the likelihood of entry, entry pathways, establishment, and potential impacts on UK apiculture for Tropilaelaps. The PRA provides recommendations that in addition to the current requirements, import controls should remain strict, with queens only sourced from countries free from Tropilaelaps, and that safeguard measures preventing imports are introduced for countries where there are concerns that the pest may be present.