On 10-Jan-09, at 8:51 AM, Peter L Borst wrote: > > Sterilizing comb is just a precaution against reinfection, which > probably is not even worth the trouble. If you are feeding fumagillin > the bees will be protected from reinfection from combs. Sterilizing > the combs would only be worthwhile if you were assured that you > restocked with bees that were nosema free and that they weren't going > to pick it up soon from somebody else's sick bees. Or, if you had in > mind avoiding antibiotics at all costs, acetic acid is certainly an > intelligent alternative, though expect it to do nothing to kill the > nosema in the bees. > Hi Peter and all At a recent Dufferin Beekeepers meeting our speaker, a well known researcher, said that while fumagillin is effective in controlling NC in the bees it does nothing to the spores on the combs. The reverse, he said, is true of acetic acid as it is not used while bees are on the comb. He did say, however, that in his opinion for the long term control of nosema, acetic fumigation would be his choice if he had to use only one treatment. He recommended rotating out brood combs from surviving hives for fumigation as well. Bob Darrell Caledon Ontario Canada 44N80W PS: I didn't name the researcher because I didn't obtain his permission before posting. ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * *******************************************************