Beekeeping Acronyms and Abbreviations

N.B. This page is a work in progress and will be added to from time to time. It is intended to complement the Beekeeping Glossary  where there are more detailed explanations of the terms.

A
ABPV: Acute Bee Paralysis Virus 
AFB: American Foulbrood 
Amm: Apis mellifera mellifera
APHA: Animal and Plant Health Agency (link)

B
BBKA: British Beekeepers Association (link)
BFA: Bee Farmers Association (link)
BIAS: Brood In All Stages - eggs, larvae, sealed. Acronym used in colony records
BIBBA: Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association (link)
BPV: Bee Paralysis Virus - coverall term for undiagnosed symptoms of paralysis
BQV: Black queen virus 
BWYRG:  "Be Warned You Require Gloves" - International queen marking colour/year - Blue(0/5) / White(1/6) / Yellow(2/7) / Red(3/8) / Green(4/9)

C
Carnie: Carniolan
CBPV: Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus
CWV: Cloudy Wing Virus

D
DCA: Drone Congregation Area
DWV: Deformed wing virus

E
EOS: Acronym for Eggs, Open, Sealed - referring to brood stages; for apiary records.
EUS: Acronym for Eggs, Uncapped, Sealed - referring to brood; for apiary notes. 

F
FERA: Food, Environment, and Rural Affairs Agency (link)
FIBKA: Federation of Irish Beekeepers' Associations (link)

G

H
HMF: Hydroxymethyl furfural

I
IAPV: Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus
INIB: Institute of Northern Ireland Beekeepers (link)
IOW Disease: Isle of Wight Disease
IPM: Integrated Pest Management, for dealing with varroa

J

K
KBV: Kashmir Bee Virus

L
Lang: Langstroth hive
LFD: Lateral Flow Device, testing for EFB or AFB

M
MAQS: Mite Away Quick Strips (Varroa treatment)

N
Nat: National hive
NBU: National Bee Unit (link)
NNSS: Non Native Species Secretariat (report V. nigrathorax) (link)
Nuc: Nucleus colony; box containing 3-6 brood frames

O
OMF: Open Mesh Floor

P
PMS: Parasitic Mite Syndrome
PPB: Pi** Poor Beekeeping.

Q
Q-: Queenless; no laying queen
Q+: Queenright; actively laying queen
QC: Queen cell
QE: Queen excluder.
QX: Queen Excluder 

R
RBI: Regional Bee Inspector (Bee Inspector with full-time, long-term, contract.)

S
SBA: Scottish Beekeepers Association (link)
SBI: Seasonal Bee Inspector (Bee Inspector with 6 month, seasonal, contract)
SHB: Small Hive Beetle Aethina tumida

T

U
UBKA: Ulster Beekeepers Association (link)

V
VSH: Varroa Sensitive Hygiene

W

WBC: William Broughton Carr hive 
WBKA: Welsh Beekeepers Association (link)
Will You Raise Good Bees?: International queen marking colour/year - White(1/6) / Yellow(2/7) / Red(3/8) / Green(4/9) / Blue(0/5)

X

Y

Z

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