> Hi, George Imirie.  I'm still struggling to understand
> your position.  You regard the current use of TM to
> result in more AFB in the Country than would exist if
> it was not used.

I cannot speak for George but the subject is pretty well understood. There
are two major brood diseases that we need to deal with: EFB and AFB.

EFB is a pretty straight forward problem. The bacteria reproduce in a simple
manner and a good dose of antibiotic will kill it off. When the bees clean
out the cells the problem is gone.

AFB is more difficult to take out. It reproduces by forming spores, millions
of them. Another well known spore forming bacteria would be Anthrax.  The
"parent" bacteria are killed by antibiotic but the spores are not touched.
These spores are picked up by bees cleaning up the brood cells and get into
everything. They get into the honey, wax and propolis and onto the wooden
ware. As soon as you stop the antibiotic treatement the spores that are
picked up will start to survive and reproduce again. Now you have a hive
that is a infection source for every hive in a two to three mile radius, or
more!

Move a frame from this hive to a clean hive and you have sealed its fate.
Let it get weak and robbed out and a dozen others are gone. The spores get
into the guts of field bees and if they drift to another hive empty their
nectar, along with spores into the new hive. Each of these hives now
requires you to start antibiotic treatment. These treatments will never end.
The spores will outlive the beekeeper.

Simple solution: burn everything. Spores will not survive the heat. Also the
genetics that might tend to promote vunerability go as well.

Complex solution: Start antibiotic treatments and practice strict control
procedures. There are some professional beekeepers who can keep things going
but most people do not work at that level.

-
"One of the best examples of pure democracy in action is the lynch mob"
- AA4YU