> Certainly the higher incidence of EFB and diminished presence of AFB seems to match other reports.

Recently I followed two webinars peopled with experts in this field. I posed the same question to each: "the word on the street is that AFB is in decline. Is this even true and why would it be?"

Kim Skrym very briefly glanced at the question and went into a 5 minute discussion which barely glanced the subject. Samuel Abban understood the question but speculated the decline was related to antibiotic use.

Antibiotic use has been widespread in the beekeeping world since the 1940s and it hasn't succeeded in eradicating disease. In fact, it has been a driver of antibiotic resistance and precipitated the removal of antibiotics from most beekeepers, now requiring a veterinarian "feed directive." 

So I am left with the question: Is it declining or increasing? Who knows? Is it related to the "higher incidence of EFB"? It appears that tracheal mites have declined as varroa mites have prevailed, and Vairamorpha (Nosema) apis has been replaced by V. ceranae. 

Frankly, I was disappointed in the answers to these questions.—PLB

> a classification of the individuals in the laboratories will follow the classical Gaussian bell-shaped distribution curve which describes most human characteristics and professions: a fraction of 1 per cent of geniuses or near-geniuses, perhaps 10 per cent of high competents, 80 per cent of ordinary ability, 10 per cent inepts and a fraction of 1 per cent of absolute phonies, knaves and fools.

             ***********************************************
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