Hello Mike & All,

>I have a question for anyone who may be familiar with Acetic Acid
Fumigation.

I have never used Acetic acid and all I know has came from David Hackenberg
or friends across the pond.

Mike I would contact Jeff Pettis or Barton Smith at the Beltsville Bee Lab
and ask your questions. They were involved with the tests on the 400 hives
of David Hackenberg.

David is the first to use acetic acid from the feedback I have heard
(commercial beekeepers unlisted  hot line). What I have heard ( maybe so or
maybe not) is that David was going to have all his CCD comb radiated and the
lab suggested trying the acetic acid.  David approached me at the Austin ABF
to see if I wanted to come in on the comb radiating. I have not spoke to
David since Austin.

I told David I had replaced all my comb which had ever had  fluvalinate or
coumaphos used so unless a new issue comes up I think my comb is fine.

David's CCD seems to me to be virus related but only my opinion. I base my
opinion on the fact when he sterilized his comb and dropped in a package he
saw his old bees again. Not so with the untreated other 200 boxes in the
test.

Other CCD thoughts:

Some CCD *seems* to be like what French beekeepers saw in France with
imidicloraprid. What I have heard is that packages installed in those boxes
are thriving without sterilization. Honey & pollen was reused. Which leads
me to believe (only an opinion) that in those cases the adult missing bees
died in the field from pesticides.

The thing which struck me strange when I looked at those CCD brood comb
pictures at the MAAREC site was the CCD folks said the only bees missing
were the adult bees. To me almost ALL the bees were missing in the two CCD
brood frame pictures!

I said in an earlier post to Mark that AHB genetics *could cause* a large
scale absconding but not a hypothesis I personally buy into as the reason
for last years CCD. Although the subject has been discussed at CCD team
meetings I have been told. AHB genetics are certainly in most yards. We
heard at our meeting tonight about a hive so hot in our area whenever the
lid was raised the bees boiled out. The two club beekeepers said they worked
the hive in carhart heavy coveralls with all holes duck taped. I think the
finally depopulated the hive after many attempts at requeening failed.
I would have depopulated the hive right away and tossed the box on the truck
instead of spending a summer jacking with those nasty bees! Get rid of those
drones!

It *seems* to me the CCD team has to figure out the solution for each CCD
beekeeper. Very complicated situation.

From speaking with Lance S. (West coast) and David H. (East coast) they both
had symptoms similar and fit the CCD description posted at the MAAREC site.
Strong hives and then frames of brood and no bees in a couple weeks. We had
our Midwestern Beekeepers Assn. meeting tonight and none of our members had
deadouts as just described. However winter loss reported was higher than
normal.

Bob


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