> it takes a lot of spores to kill a larva and that they are only vulnerable for a short period of time in their early development.  The LD50 is around 10 thousand spores.  It is hard to imagine that even half that many spores per gram of honey (the highest detected in the study) would concentrate into a lethal dose for a larva.

Very true.  As an inspector, one time I found a few cells in a few hives in almost every yard throughout a large commercial operation.

The reason was found to do with making up spring brood chambers from winter deadouts.  

Apparently the combs were not well inspected and the crew did not even really know how to look for signs, so, contaminated combs were distributed throughout the entire operation.    

I'm guessing that each scale probably contains more spores than an entire drum of extracted honey.

The staff were educated, better lighting was installed, the brood chamber making improved, and other simple common measures were instituted.  The problem cleared up in short order.  As I recall, no drugs were employed..

What was surprising, at least to those who have irrational fear of AFB, is that the infections were so mild and so easily eliminated.  

I use the word, 'eliminated', but AFB is seldom *totally* eliminated, but when the incidence drops to a fraction of a percent per annum,  it is effectively gone.

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html