Harry wrote:

<<One is that it is
possible illegal to use this method in Britain although I think the laws
regarding this are a bit outdated as are any other laws regarding bees and
beekeeping. >>

Harry, you are a master of the understatement!
(The understatement is my favorite from of emphasis)

Britain is not the only place that requires such drastic action.
Many beekeepers and agencies require destroying the bees
when good scientific studies have been done to prove this
unnecessary. AFB is a brood disease, not a bee disease.
( Flame suit on, yes! I do know about spores. )
This shows the classic difference between knowledge and wisdom.

<<With regard to culling in general I think this must depend on your reason
for keeping bees.  If you are only interested in profit from your bees then
culling is probably your best option. >>

Not having enough time is often given as the reason for destroying the
bees. Surely a beekeepers time is an all too realistic value, and can not
be ignored. Commercial beekeepers work very long hours. I question how
much time is saved by killing bees and then burning the hive contents?

Why not just give them a new hive on foundation, remove the old hive
and burn it. It was to be burned anyway, so what is lost here?
The bees are saved, and in a new hive, the offending material is rightly
destroyed, so what am I missing here? Risking redundancy, I point to the
study reported in Bee Culture that I posted here to begin this thread.

<<However if you are interested in keeping bees
then killing them seems a bit silly.>>

Harry, I could not have said it better myself!


Ernie Gregoire   "Beekeeper," def.= partially brave,
                                    partially excentric

Grist Mill Apiary

Canaan, NH. USA


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10/30/99 09:49:34