The problem with gamma ray irradiation of hives to sterilize them from AFB
is that although the process kills off the disease, the dried scales are
left in the cells, with the result that the queen will not lay in them and
thus the frame will still have the *pepper pot* appearance characteristic
of AFB.
The problem arises when you next inspect for AFB, and you cannot determine
whether the colony is re- infected or not.
Also there aren't too many stations irradiating for the general public, and
you need a large number of hives to be treated at the one time, as, I
understand, there is a minimum size of container which the processors will
accept.
I have been beekeeping for 12 years, with 10 colonies.