> Dr. Cramer is currently experimenting with other "natural" sterilants that
> may be more effective and easier than bleach.

Easier? Cheaper? Why would natural be necessary?

Clorox mist is easy & safe;
Very easy to mix and mist. The solution is basically the same as we spray
everything which comes in contact with honey before extracting. (If you do
not do this you should according to every health inspector we have had and
my beekeeping mentors)

Clorox/water mist is certainly easier and cheaper than acetic acid treatment
as used in Europe.

As far as the word "natural" a beekeeper selling honey in competition added
the word natural between the words "Pure Honey" . Caused quite a stir and a
short term drop in sales. People questioned if my honey ( same as his) was
"natural". I ended up getting new labels for my honey saying "Pure Natural
Honey" to solve the problem.

I realize half the world is of below average intelligence but if a jar says
PURE HONEY then adding the word natural most should assume is a sales 
gimmick.

Because I am of the opinion you do not get mad but get even and the person
which laughs last laughs the loudest I had my day but took careful planning.

I entered honey in the next years Missouri State fair and won two Blue
Ribbons In the light extracted class. I had a blue ribbon label specially
designed for my jars ( not cheap) and displayed my ribbons plus with the
ribbon label got my customers back and converted most of his to me.

The beekeeper does not own bees now (beekeeping was not as easy as he
thought and he was losing half his hives each year) but does buy and bottle
others honey to sell and the only thing he said was at the end :
I can't compete against blue ribbon honey"!

Back to the mist:
I might add that a beekeeper in our club as always used a Clorox/water mist
on his equipment . As Juanse points out the method dates back many years.

> In the meantime, let your stored combs freeze, as that has been
> demonstrated
> to kill most N ceranae spores.

My stored frozen deadout comb became reinfected so I do have my doubts that
freezing is *better* than the clorox misting. I am no expert on the subject
but we had plenty of fall deadouts which were in a forty foot ocean
container which were exposed to sub freezing temps for long periods of time
over the winter and I still had nosema issues before I used the clorox
treatment..  In fact all the original boxes had been exposed to long periods
on freezing . I was told by some people that because my boxes had been
exposed to freezing the clorox treatment was a waste of time. i thanked them
for their advice but explained I had tried freezing so intended to use
acetic acid. Ended up using the clorox /water mist whcih worked for me.

Juanse thought possibly I was seeing a virus issue which the mist cleared
up. No juanse the issue was nosema with spore counts going up and at the end
bees dead in inside feeders.

All this years fall deadouts have been exposed to freezing weather now  (
day & night) for around three weeks but I am still going to mist for at
least another season till I am sure Nosema ceranae issues are under control.

Some have suggested changing out the comb. I would only as a last resort as
this comb is free from coumaphos & fluvalinate contamination.

bob

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