Hi Nick
 
Re disinfecting honey: I was about to point out the letter in March ABJ, p 159
which explained the measures being taken in South Africa, where (because of the
Cape Bee control program) they are concerned about importing diseases in honey.
 
The letter indicated they are requiring irradiation (gamma I suppose) of all
honey, pollen and beeswax. I looked for any info on EFB destroying conditions
(temp etc) there's nothing in Morse's Pest Pred and Diseases, and Bailey's Honey
Bee Pathology,p 92 says (Pankiw et al 1970) gamma irradiation up to 0.8 M rad is
ineffective against M. pluton. (maybe they use more in S.A ?)  Formaldehyde or
acetic acid kills it on comb, but that's no use for honey.
 
Re. how serious it might be in New Zealand, indeed we haven't noticed (or
measured) any greater incidence in New Zealand derived colonies in B.C., but
there is the "blueberry" factor. The blueberry growing area of B.C., peaty acid
soil and so on, has a remarkably higher occurance of EFB (10 % not unusual, and
sometimes all colonies in a yard, when oxtetracycline is not regularly applied).
The same high incidence is recorded in the U.S (New Jersey, I think).
 Dr Shimanuki and Herbert ? did some work on this, there is a paper a few years
back in ABJ. I think there   was some improvement from lactic acid added to
pollen patties. In any case, if you had large ares that similarly predisposed
colonies to EFB, it could be very serious in a country that didn't allow
oxytetracycline prophylaxis.
 
How risky is the importation of consumer jars of honey (treated or otherwise)?
that's another question.
 
Good luck
 
Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist
B.C. Ministry of Agriculture
1201 103 Ave
Dawson Creek B.C.
        V1G 4J2  CANADA          Tel (604) 784-2225     fax (604) 784-2299
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