Nick Wallingford asks about bees gathering AFB infected honey
from rubbish tips.
 
I don't have any literature references but there are two separate
cases of an anecdotal nature in my neighbourhood.
 
1) There is a large honey packing plant in Oxfordshire.  Most of
the honey is imported.  I am told that empty bulk containers are
left outside.  It seems to coincide with an AFB hot-spot.  Local
beekeepers certainly think this is not a coincidence.
 
2) Even nearer to home, there is a vinyard.  (Yes, some wine is
produced in England.)  They have problems with wasps damaging the
grapes.  To reduce this they put out wasp traps.  These consist of
vertical sided containers with a watery solution of something sugary
at the bottom to attract and then drown the wasps.  We experienced an
outbreak of AFB within flying distance of the vinyard.  A beekeeper
I know vised the vinyard and found that the sugary substance they
were using was (you guessed it!) cheap imported honey.  Naturally,
the vinyard owner was encouraged, in no uncertain terms, to use
something else.  (Actually, as soon as the reasons were explained
to him he was very helpful.)
 
Nick, I've not visited either the packing plant ot the vinyard
but I'm sure I could provide contacts if you wanted them.  They
won't be on email though!
 
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Malcolm Roe                            Phone  :  +44 442 230000 ext 4104
Crosfield Electronics Ltd              Fax    :  +44 442 232301
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