American Foulbrood (AFB) Diagnostic Test Kit
As of 2/7/25 we are awaiting a new shipment of AFB test kits from our supplier in the UK. We expect these tests to be back in stock in August 2025.
Test your hives for disease
American foulbrood (AFB) is a serious disease of the honeybee. It affects the brood, severely weakening the colony and eventually killing it. It is caused by spores that spread from deadout hives. Spores can also be found on hive components, hive tools, etc.
AFB causes irregular and patchy brood, a 'sunken' and/or 'perforated' appearance to brood cells, and a 'snotty' substance inside the diseased cells. If you have a hive which you suspect is infected with AFB, it is important that you confirm it, as you must report AFB infections to the DPI (the hive will also have to be destroyed). You can learn more about AFB at Bee Aware, here.
Testing your hive for AFB is easy
To use this AFB test, simply scoop out a suspect larva from a brood frame, shake it up in the bottle, and use the supplied pipette to drop the liquid onto the text cassette. The image shows a negative test. It's very similar to a RAT test. The DPI recommends that beekeepers check their hives for AFB in October and test any hives which show signs of infection. The DPI also maintains an AFB Near Me website which lists postcodes where AFB has been recently detected.
What do I do if my hive tests positive?
Please see the AFB section of this DPI website. You will need to euthanise the colony and either burn or irradiate the hive. Having a hive test positive for AFB is stressful, so if you have any questions please contact our friendly staff and we will advise you on the next steps.
AFB quick test
By: Dean Little on 13 April 2021Quick to useFast delivery
(5)
AFB
By: Sherrie Jeffrey on 26 October 2020Easy to use.
(5)
From past experience product is fine
By: Tony Retra on 22 March 2019The product has still not arrived!!! If it was posted on Friday 15th there was no tracker till Thurs 21st 1.15am Melb. It appears to be still sitting there. If it was posted from Hornsby surely it shoud atleast be recorded going through Sydney??!! AUst Post says 4 working days!! Cheers.
(5)
AFB test kit
By: Robyn B on 11 September 2018Result in an instant. Easy to use.
(5)
AFB TEST
By: Todd Chapman on 27 December 2017Very simple and easy to use. Accurate results, good to confirm warning signs you find.
(5)
